The Darkness Within
by Riku54-Vincent's Demon
Summary: There is darkness in every heart. Including Sora's. For the past three years, it hid itself, but when it rises, Sora becomes someone Riku had never known before. Xemnas, he knows, has some connection to it all, but what? 15 Reviews for 2nd book!
1. The Keyblade Master

Okay, I need more room on the summary thing to make it sound good, but this fan fiction is better than it sounds. It may seem OK at first, but you have to go into the later chapters for it to get really good, every friend I have at school likes it, and I'm sure you would too. Anyway, here's a complete summary:

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**_SUMMARY:_**

_There is darkness in every heart. Sora knows this, but when he uncovers the darkness in his heart, choas breaks. Riku and Kairi try to help him the best way they can, but it doesn't help much. Leon is there, but is unsure, but he acts more of a lookout than a friend, and no one knows why. That is until Riku discovers the Organization XIII spying on them. Then, that same night, he meets up with Axel, who was considtered an enemy for the past two days. Axel explains everything to Riku, but Sora, Sora is gone._

_Sora had a few things cleared with him by Scalvatrx, a mysterious man who is neither ally, nor enemy, nor nuteral. He is all of them. Well once Sora and Riku are talking to one another about what they had learned, Kairigoes missing._

_Meanwhile..._

_Xemnas, leader of Organization XIII has a plan that is full-proof in his eyes. No longer will he have to live in a city that is underground once he has a new Kingdom Hearts. He knows there is only one way to do that, but instead of forcing Sora to do it for him, he does it himself. But there are things blocking his way. One is Kairi and Riku. The other is Axel, Scalvatrx, Roxas, and Namine._

_He tries to illemonate Axel and Scalvatrx, but is unsucessful. But he has something useful: Every single file from the Recreation Committee's computer. With it, he can get everyone's weakness out of them and kill them one by one. But there is a mystery to it all: Where is Cloud in all of this?_

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KINGDOM HEARTS

_The Darkness Within_

Chapter 1: The Keyblade Master

Sora, an eighteen-year-old, was back at the island, sitting on a log looking at the ocean's gentle tides. He was thinking of his battles from long ago with Goofy and Donald and of course, King Mickey. His friends were back, but he, in a way, missed the old battles. He hadn't even wielded the Keyblade in three years. The only thing that was the same, were the clothes he was wearing and his attitude. The garments the fairies had made for him seemed to grow with him.

Sighing, he was about to stand up, when he heard his name, "Sora…where'd you go?" Sora knew instantly who it was; it was Kairi, one of his best friends.

"I'm over here." he called out to her, standing up and waving. Kairi turned around from where she was standing a little ways off and looked at Sora, racing over to him. "So what's the rush?" he asked her.

"Riku and I want to see you for a moment." Kairi explained, pulling him away from where he had been sitting and towards the secret cave where Sora had first found the Keyblade.

Once inside, Sora found Riku waiting for him, looking at him with a blank expression. For some reason, Sora shivered at the sight of his friend. Riku had come out of the darkness and back into the light, but Sora still remembered his friend's betrayal. How Riku had become possessed by Ansem. Sora shook himself and asked, "What were you wanting to tell me?"

Riku looked at him with the old look he had once had, a friendly look, and answered, "We want you to tell us something."

"L-Like what?" Sora stammered. He hoped this wasn't about the fruit he had taken from Riku secretly yesterday.

"If you want sword fighting again, silly. I haven't watched you guys do that for along time." Kairi responded cheerfully, handing Sora a wooden sword.

Sora excepted it hesitantly. The last time had fought Riku, was when he was on the side of darkness. Riku seemed to notice Sora's hesitation, "Scared I'll beat you?" he teased.

Sora glanced at Riku, holding the sword, "No!"

"Then what is it?" Riku asked. When Sora didn't reply, he taunted him more for the fun of it, "You are scared aren't you? Don't worry, you're better than when we were last fighting here."

Sora nodded and told him they'd fight when they got to the small island right next to the island where they used to sword fight at. Riku excepted and raced off towards the island at once. Sora hung back as Kairi laid a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry Sora, he's changed. It's not going to be like old times."

Sora looked at her, "I know that, but it's just hard to let the fact remain that he had gone onto the dark side."

"But that was Ansem's doing, not yours or his, and you know it." Kairi told him confidently.

Sora nodded and gripped his sword tightly before running after Riku. As he ran with the wooden sword, he thought again of the Keyblade. He was unsure if he even possessed it anymore, but he didn't really want to know because if he did posses it, that meant darkness was back.

Reaching the island, he raced up the bridge and towards Riku who was sitting, waiting on the tree that curved over the ocean. Riku turned to look at him, "What took you, Sora?" he asked, laughing slightly.

Sora didn't reply, instead he automatically took battle stance. Riku leapt down and copied him. Just as they were about to charge one another, Kairi came up and sat down, watching on the bridge. She called, "Ready…Set…Go!"

Sora leapt at Riku with his old skills. His arms move fluidly through the air as he reached out at Riku, flipping as he went with the wooden sword. His sword clashed with Riku's, causing both to land on the ground. Sora flashed a warning smile at Riku before charging again, silent. Upper cutting Riku, he scored his shoulder, but Riku didn't even flinch, instead he struck out, slamming his sword into Sora's side with intended force.

Sora gasped at the pain as he was thrown toward the edge of the island. He quickly retaliated by landing on his back and jumping to his feet and then into the air, sword raised. Sora slammed down at Riku with every ounce of strength in him. Riku raised his sword just in time. They clashed, but Riku's splintered. "Sora!" Riku complained, "Don't break it!"

"Ha, ha! Afraid you'll lose?" he repeated Riku's words as he jabbed out at Riku, his wooden sword crashing into the flat side of Riku's sword.

"No! I'm afraid you'll have to make me another wooden sword!" Riku growled.

That made Sora stop, "What do you mean 'make another wooden sword'! I'm not making another one for y-" but he was cut short as Riku took Sora's moment to let his guard down and struck him in the head.

Sora gasped as stars appeared before his head before falling…falling. He felt himself hit the water below, but he didn't fight. The salt water enveloped him as he sunk towards the bottom. The salty tang of the water filled Sora's mouth, but he barely tasted it. His eyes closed as consciousness left him and he was covered by darkness.

"Riku! You hit him too hard, and you know you're not supposed to hit Sora in the head!" Kairi shouted as she stepped into the water, racing to the spot where Sora had sunk. She was up to her waist when she was about to reach him.

"Yeah well, he was supposed to block it." Riku objected.

"Oh shut up and get down here and help me find-" Kairi was cut shot as a glowing light filled the water around her.

Riku and Kairi stared as Sora appeared out of the water, his eyes still closed. He was floating in the air, arms held out beside him. In his right hand, the Keyblade rested in his hand. Then, ever so slowly, he drifted back into the water, but in standing position, and in shallow water. His eyes opened slowly. He blinked and looked around him, the Keyblade in his hand.

"How did you-" Riku didn't finish his sentence, instead he let it hang in the wind.

Sora blinked, confused and then looked down in his right hand. He had thought it was the wooden sword, or the fact that he had fallen off the island and was conscious, instead he saw the Keyblade in his hand. His eyes grew wide with surprise, "Where did my Keyblade come from?"

"Sora! You're okay!" Kairi exclaimed, coming up to him. Sora looked at her. For some reason, he didn't feel any pain in his head where Riku had hit him; of course maybe he was subconscious of it.

"Yeah…what happened?" he asked, looking at the Keyblade once more and then at Kairi.

"You came out of the water with the Keyblade. What happened to your wooden sword?" Kairi asked suddenly, looking around for a floating piece of wood.

_Sora…the darkness has returned…_

Sora looked around, not realizing he was hearing a voice in his head.

_And this time…_

Sora looked at Riku and then Kairi, but neither was speaking. Riku's eyes stared at him and Kairi was still looking for his sword.

_You will not have the help of your friends…_

"Who's speaking? Show yourself!" Sora yelled out to an unknown person. Kairi turned to look at him while Riku leapt into the water.

"Sora, are you okay? There's no one speaking…" Kairi asked, wading up to him.

_Sora, this battle is for you…_

_To show you who you really are…_

"Who I really am…but what does that mean?" Sora muttered, not hearing the others.

_You will understand soon enough…_

Riku, who was waving his hand in front of Sora's face, finally shoved him a bit, causing Sora to fall into the water. Sora broke the fall, snapped out of the trance and looked up at Riku, "What was that for?"

"For ignoring me."

"But you didn't say anything!…Did you?"


	2. The Journey Through Darkness

Oh yeah, I DO NOT OWN THIS! But I do own some caharacters but I won't give them away-you'll find out! Please review! I'm typing chapter 6 but I won't give you anymore except chapter three unless i get two reviews!

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Chapter Two: The Journey Through Darkness

_Riku, who was waving his hand in front of Sora's face, finally shoved him a bit, causing Sora to fall into the water. Sora broke the fall, snapped out of the trance and looked up at Riku, "What was that for?"_

"_For ignoring me."_

"_But you didn't say anything!…Did you?" _

Riku glared at Sora with indifference. Sora looked back at Riku with a helpless look as if he hadn't even heard Riku speaking to him, "If you said something, what did you say?" Sora asked.

"It wasn't important." Riku grumbled, turning away.

For some odd reason, Sora felt as if Riku still resented him in a way because he wielded the Keyblade. Riku had always wanted it, he knew that, but any old resentment that Riku had, should have left him. Apparently it never would.

"Sora, if you couldn't hear us, what could you hear?" Kairi asked.

Riku stopped where he stood and turned around, a look of curiosity now on his face, and a smirking look, "Yeah, what _did_ you hear?"

Sora looked at them, not really wanting to repeat the words, so he shortened them. "I have to go alone this time."

"Where to?" Riku asked.

"How should I know?" Sora snapped, feeling a prickle of unease at Riku's questions. He still believed his friend was still his friend, not the dark person he had known at a time. Looking at the Keyblade, he willed it to vanish, seeing no point in having it out. With a flash of bright, white light, it vanished from his hand and Sora turned away from Riku and Kairi.

"Sora, why do you have to go alone this time, wouldn't it be dangerous? Are the Heartless back?" came Kairi's questioning voice behind him.

"I don't know why I have to go alone, but I do know that the Heartless are back, and that's why I have to go, I guess." Sora shook himself and walked out of the water, and tried to make his spirits brighter. At the moment it was covered with sadness, if he had to leave, he would leave his friends again, and this time there would be no Goofy or Donald. _To show you who you really are…_

Sora already knew who he was, so why go anyway? What was the real purpose? Sighing, he looked up at his friends and then said, "Now that _my_ wooden sword's gone, what do we do now?"

"We go make a new sword, or at least barrow one. You two haven't finished yet, Riku played an illegal move by hitting you in the head." Kairi pointed out.

"I guess I did, didn't I? Okay, where are we supposed to barrow one from?" Riku asked, coming over to them.

"Me." Kairi responded.

"You? But you don't have one! Do you?" Sora protested.

"Of course I do! It's right over…" Kairi bent down and reached under the beginning of the bridge where it was all sand and pulled out a wooden sword, "here."

"Nice hiding place." Riku commented with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Shut up Riku!" Kairi growled, tossing Sora the sand-covered sword.

Sora caught it and asked, "You ready yet?"

Riku looked over at him and nodded, "Whenever you are."

"Okay then!" Sora leapt up onto the bridge in one swift movement and raced back over to the island, Riku right behind him.

Sora was at one end of the island, next to the edge, while Riku was on the other side, in front of the tree. Sora tensed and readied himself. Both hands were on the wooden handle. He heard Kairi call the signal and rushed forward, only to be met by Riku. He felt the force of his friend's strength pushing him back, but a new strength flooded over him. Sora pushed forward, their blades still clashed together.

Somehow, he had managed to get Riku near the edge. Then, with one stroke, circling the blade through the air, he knocked Riku's blade through the air and then hit him off the island. Riku fell into the shallow water below. "Beat ya'!" Sora called down, a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, we all saw…" Riku grumbled. He picked himself up and walked back onto the shore.

"You're just in a sour mood because I actually beat you!" Sora laughed.

"You wish," Riku muttered.

"I don't have to, now do I?" Sora said smartly.

Riku glared at him and then cast him a warning look, and leapt up onto the island. He smiled and said, "Yeah you're right, you don't have too." Riku said, quickly pushing Sora off the island.

Sora looked surprised at it as he hit the murky water, but stood up, laughing. "You got me back."

"What a big feat!" Kairi laughed, handing Riku his sword and then heading over to where she had been sitting. "Hey, what do you guys want to do now?"

Riku and Sora looked at each other and then at Kairi, "I dunno,"

"Me neither."

"Why are you guys looking at me?" Kairi asked when she straightened up.

"Because, we want to know-" Sora began.

"-why you're digging through the sand." Riku finished.

"Oh, I just lost something." Kairi explained, looking down at the small hole she had made, but there was nothing there.

Sora stepped towards her, about to ask what she had lost, when he realized what he was walking on. It wasn't sand, but swirling black evil, or darkness. "Sora!" Riku and Kairi both exclaimed, jumping towards his aid, but neither got there in time to even reach out to his hand.

The darkness wrapped itself around Sora and dragged him into it. Sora gasped, "Riku! Kairi! Help me!" but he was already covered in it. Sora felt the weight of it on his shoulders, pulling him down, but he refused to go.

Then, in a bright flash, the Keyblade appeared, destroying the darkness. Sora blinked and gasped, "I thought I was going with it for a minute there!" He held the Keyblade tightly.

"Why do you think it came after you?" Riku asked.

"Because I'm supposed to leave, but I don't think I'm supposed to leave just yet." Sora replied quietly, unsure of himself.

"Well, whether you like it or not, you're coming." came a voice from behind Sora.

"Sora! Look out!" Riku and Kairi said at the same time.

A cloaked figure stood behind Sora, a hand resting on his shoulder. Riku raised his wooden sword and grunted as he flung it towards the man behind Sora. The sword hit the cloaked figure, but he didn't flinch, nor did he look Riku's way as darkness began to come out of his hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Uh!" Sora grunted as he tried to pull away, but the darkness was back and was wrapped around his feet. It flung up in the air and covered both of them. In a flash, Sora saw Riku and Kairi coming towards him, but the darkness soon shut everything out.

Within a few seconds, light burst into Sora's eyes as he came out of the darkness. He blinked and looked around him, but remembered the cloaked man. He spun around to see the man standing a few feet off. "Sora, like I said, this was for you to come alone, and so you did."

Sora glared at the man, clenching the Keyblade and holding it up to him, "What do you want with me?" he growled.

"It's not what I want, it's what he wants," the man held up a gloved finger and pointed at another cloaked figure. A hood was over his head, and his cloak bore a strange sign, it was the sign of darkness, though Sora could not make out exactly what it was. He had gloved hands and wore a long sword at his side.

"Who are you, both of you?" Sora demanded.

"That is not of your concern at the moment, Sora. I have called you hear for two reasons. One, to let you see who you truly are, and two, to ask you something." The second man said. His was voice rough and neutral.

"I already know who I am, and I don't care what you have to ask me!" Sora yelled.

"Oh but I think you do care, that is, once you hear it. And you have no idea who you really are, that I am sure of."

Sora made a rasping noise in his throat before replying coldly, "Fine then, ask me what you may."


	3. The Darkness in Sora

So sorry for the LONG wait! I haven't been able to get on, but the good side is, is that you get all the way up to chapter seven! I'm not done with Chapter Eight yet so You'll have to wait-Oh I am so mean! You'll find out why when you finish Chapter Seven!

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Chapter Three: The Darkness in Sora

"_I already know who I am, and I don't care what you have to ask me!" Sora yelled._

"_Oh but I think you do care, that is, once you hear it. And you have no idea who you really are, that I am sure of."_

_Sora made a rasping noise in his throat before replying coldly, "Fine then, ask me what you may."_

"Tell me Sora, have you ever wondered why you never failed in your battles, no matter how tough?"

"No,"

"Then let me give you an answer; you have a strong heart, but do you really know the limit until you too, let darkness into your heart?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Darkness, as you have heard, is in every heart, but sometimes, one might wonder about you. You are the wielder of the Keyblade, the one with a pure heart, the heart of someone without darkness. But, I know for certain, your time will come."

"What do you mean my 'time will come'?"

The man removed his hood and looked at Sora with icy blue eyes, "You will understand. For now, I can not say. But there is one thing, if you do not destroy the darkness one last time, it will devour you and everything with the Keyblade gone."

"If you can not say, won't you at least tell me who you are?" Sora asked, his grip on the Keyblade tightening.

"Scalvatrx,"

"OK, but now I want to go home!"

"I can not take you there."

Sora gripped his Keyblade and growled, "Then we will fight, if I win, you take me home, if I loose, I stay here."

Scalvatrx drew out his sword and pointed in at Sora's chest. "Sora, there is no possible way to get you home without you completing this quest." With that said, Scalvatrx sheathed his sword and walked away into a portal of darkness.

Sora dropped to his knees, feeling helpless as the other man vanished into the trees. He had lost his friends again and now he had lost himself, from the way it seemed. It was apparent he did not know who he was, but Sora did know. He was the wielder of the Keyblade, he was Sora, right? And now Scalvatrx was telling him that he too had darkness in his heart, because there was darkness in every heart.

Sora stood up, calming himself; he slipped into the forest, the Keyblade vanishing from his hand. As he picked his way through the forest, he sensed another presence was somewhere nearby. Spinning around, he saw a black shape move through the trees. "Salvatrix…?" he questioned himself quietly.

"What did you just call me?" came a rough voice.

Sora stared at the person who was standing in front of him. He had really long red hair, cold eyes and wore a black robe with gloved hands. A sword was at his side, held by a piece of black cloth. There was also a long, silver chain wrapped around his waist. "Who are you?" Sora asked, very suspicious.

"I think you already know, and now it's your turn to die." The cloaked man drew his sword and tightened his hands around it.

"But I don't want to fight, I just want to know who you are, and why die?" Sora asked and explained at the same time. His Keyblade appeared in his hand as a way of defense.

"Ah the Keyblade, I figured you were going to use it."

"Why do you think you know me?" Sora yelled at him.

"Why, Sora, I would have expected you to remember your dear friend Axel." Axel grinned at Sora's surprise as his sword vanished. Instead, his spinning bladed disks replaced it.

"Axel! How did you get here?" Sora gasped, but his grip did not change and his Keyblade was drawn up to fighting position.

"By the darkness of course." Axel said calmly, and then, with the flick of a wrist, threw one of his bladed-disks at Sora.

Sora met the disk with a whack to the side of it, throwing it off course, but the force of the blow knocked him back a bit. "I see your skills have dulled down a little." Axel commented before yelling, "Fire!" A blast of fire came from his disk as he threw it at Sora. The magic caught Sora's side and he leapt away from it, a pain in his side where the flame had burned him.

"Light!" he yelled, raising his Keyblade. A circle of light surrounded him for a few seconds before bursting out and hitting Axel, throwing him off a few feet. With Sora reappeared from the light, he looked different. Stars and red electricity surrounded him and his clothes had turned red. Axel threw his second disk, ripping Sora's shoulder, but Sora didn't even flinch, instead his retaliated and attacked back. Within seconds, he was upon Axel, hitting him with the sword in vain, trying to defeat his long-time enemy.

"Fire!" Sora was once again, forced to leap away, but in that few seconds, Axel drew up a portal of darkness. Looking at Sora, he said, "We will meet again, Sora."

Riku looked at the spot where Sora had just been seconds before. "Do you think he'll be OK?" Kairi asked him, worry sounding in her voice.

"There's only one way to find out." Riku told her. He held up his right hand and darkness began to swirl around it. In that one second, the Keyblade Riku wielded appeared, the Dark Keyblade.

"You still have that?" Kairi said with confusion.

Instead of answering, he made of portal of darkness and turned to look at Kairi with an extended hand, "Are you coming Kairi?"

Kairi excepted Riku's hand with a moment's pause. Stepping into the darkness, it enveloped them and when light came, they found themselves on an island with no sign of life at the first glance. But when Riku took a second glance, he saw a spot where someone had been walking. "He's this way." he told Kairi.

They went through the forest, following their friend's trail until they happened upon him. They were out of sight, but they could see Sora with someone else. Kairi was about to step out to Sora and reveal herself when Riku laid a hand on her shoulder, "Not yet, Kairi."

"Why, Sora, I would have expected you to remember your dear friend Axel." Riku watched as Axel smiled at Sora's surprise. Riku himself hadn't recognized Axel; he had changed a lot.

"Axel! How did you get here? You died the last time we met!"

"By the darkness of course. It revived me, but I wouldn't say the same about you."" They watched the battle; Riku forcing Kairi to stay put when the fire scorched Sora and his shoulder was cut.

When Axel had vanished, Riku let go of Kairi and both came out of the trees to look Sora over. When Riku came up to Sora, he saw that he was hurt and that the slash to the shoulder was bleeding. The scorch marks on his clothes had done virtually nothing except burn the skin slightly. "Are you alright Sora?" Riku asked, bending down so he could see Sora's face.

"Yeah, Axel didn't do much." Sora replied, glancing at Riku and turning his eyes to Kairi, "How did you guys get here anyway?"

"With my own Keyblade." Riku responded, knowing Sora didn't exactly like him using the Dark Keyblade.

"Oh…but why come after me?" Sora asked. "You'll be in danger."

"No more danger than we've been in before." Kairi said determined to convince Sora to let them stay.

"But I was supposed to come alone." he objected.

"Are you trying to push us away, Sora?" Riku asked, a teasing smile on his face. He knew very well that Sora wouldn't do it, he cared too much about his friends to push them away, even through danger. Riku willed the Dark Keyblade away and helped his friend to his feet. Before Sora answered, he healed himself and willed his own Keyblade away.

"No, I'm not. You know I wouldn't do that, but I don't want you in danger." Sora responded.

"Danger? Do you think we can't fight any better than you can, or even better?" Kairi laughed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora laughed back, and Riku laughed as well. Put in a cheerful mood, Sora let them stay.

Riku knew that he wouldn't pull anything on Sora like he had a long time ago, he was on the good side now, and was there to stay. He may wield a dark Keyblade, but that didn't stop him from choosing sides. "So, if Axel and the Heartless are back, where are they?"

Sora looked around, also noticing the Heartless's absence. "I really don't know. Now that think of it, I haven't seen a single Heartless or Nobody even though Axel was here."

"Well there is one Nobody, but it doesn't count." Riku piped up.

"Who's that?" Sora asked, turning to look at Riku questioningly.

"Roxas of course. He's your Nobody, remember?"

"Oh yeah…"

"Well, if you're supposed to be killing Heartless again, then let's go find some and get rid of them." Kairi said, her own Keyblade appearing. Riku had given it to her.

Sora looked at Kairi's Keyblade, surprised that she also still had hers. It seemed like a distant memory when Sora and his friends were going to leave the island in search of another world, instead they were all taken by darkness. Sora had gone to Traverse Town and Riku into Maleficent's realm. Kiari, he wasn't sure where she had gone.


	4. Finding a Way to Worlds

Chapter Four: Finding a Way to Worlds

Sora stood up and nodded, "Yeah, but first, I'd rather get off this island."

Riku suddenly asked a question Sora didn't really want to answer, "Who was that guy that was standing behind you when he pulled you into the darkness?"

"Scalvatrx." Sora answered, not meeting Riku's eye. He felt his friend's curiosity was something he didn't want to handle at the moment.

"Why was he after you, I mean besides the fact that you're the wielder of the Keyblade?" Riku asked, still prying into Sora.

"Because of the darkness, the darkness in me. There is darkness in every heart. You know that Riku." Sora responded, looking Riku in the eye for the first time. Sora felt a barrier come up within him, against the looming evil that surrounded him on every side. He knew that he wanted off the island, off that very second.

"But what did he want?" Riku asked.

"He wanted, I guess, to tell me that I was to stop the darkness before my own time came, my time of darkness I mean." Sora sighed.

"Don't worry Sora, you've never been on the bad side before and you're not about to be either." Kairi reassured him with confident words. Sora nodded, perking up a bit, but then he looked around him.

"How are we supposed to get off this island anyway?" Sora asked Riku and Kairi both, turning to look at them questioningly.

"Leave it to me, of course." Riku said, his Keyblade appearing in his hand once more. Then, as if on cue, a portal of darkness appeared and Riku pointed at it. "We can get out that way. I'm not sure where it will take us, but no where bad I hope." Riku noticed Sora's doubtful look at once and responded, "Don't worry Sora, it might even take us some place you've been before."

Sora nodded with reluctance still, but with one look at Kairi, he stepped into the darkness. Riku followed and then Kairi came in last, her Keyblade still in her hand. Riku had his Keyblade, but Sora's was no where to be seen. When Sora vanished into the darkness, he found himself in a place full of waves of soft blue colors with things floating around inside of it. Ahead of him, there was a door, but darkness covered the entrance so he could not see what was beyond it.

"Riku, where are we?" he asked, voicing his thoughts and continued to look around, his deep blue eyes looking for any signs of something evil or bad about.

"How should I know?" Riku questioned him.

Sora spun around, his face full of surprise and sudden anger, "You don't know where you're taking us! How do you know its not where the Heartless are all at? Or where Scalvatrx is?"

"Scalvatrx doesn't seem like a threat, so I don't know what you have against him, and I doubt we will go where the Heartless are destroying everything because I willed the darkness to take us to Twilight Town, if you must know." Riku sighed, slinging his Dark Keyblade over his head, carrying it that way.

"But you don't even know what Scalvatrx looks like! He looks exactly like someone from the Organization!" Sora argued, his eyes becoming clouded with worry.

"Relax, you killed the Organization, remember?" Riku said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah, lucky I didn't kill you too! You were with the Organization XIII, or did you forget? And Axel is alive and once again, my enemy even though he had become my ally! Who's to say the Organization didn't come back just like he did?" Sora snapped.

"Good grief Sora, you take things way to seriously. And no, how could I forget that I joined the Organization? I was no fool when I did it, and Axel came back by the darkness, if you weren't listening." Riku said, breezing past Sora and vanishing into the darkness ahead.

Kairi glanced at Sora and called, "Come on Sora!"

"But-…."

"Don't worry! I trust Riku, don't you?" Kairi questioned, before she too vanished into the darkness.

Sora ran after them and stepped into the darkness for a second time and came out in the back alley of Twilight Town. He looked around him but he didn't see Riku or Kairi anywhere. Sora did see the Usual Spot though. Stepping up to it, he puled back the torn and dull shaded cloth that everyone had hung over the door.

He didn't see Olette, Hayner, or Pence anywhere, nor did he see Riku or Kiari anywhere. Had they come out in different parts of the town? Then a dark thought entered his mind that he wished had never come. _Or did Riku trick me?_

Riku looked around him, wondering noticing that he was at the Station with Kairi. This was where he had wanted to go. He looked behind him just as the portal closed. He noticed that Sora was missing. "Kairi, did Sora come with you?" Riku asked her, his voice etched with sudden worry.

"I saw him running after me. He should have. If he's not here, Riku, where do you think he went?" Kairi asked, her own voice becoming flooded with worry for Sora.

"Somewhere around here I would guess, but not here, and that is what I don't understand." Riku responded.

"So you mean he's somewhere in this town?" Kairi questioned.

"He sound be." Riku looked at Kairi and then looked around the Station. "Let's split up and look for him, but I suggest you keep your Keyblade hidden unless you have to use it for any reason. If you need me, call, I'll come somehow."

"That's reassuring…" Kairi complained, putting her hands on her hips.

"Do you have a better idea?" Riku asked, a teasing yet annoyed glint in his eyes.

"No."

"Then let's get going, Sora isn't going to wait forever you know. He must be wondering what happened to us by now." Riku responded, laughing slightly.

Riku waved to Kairi and then set off down the steps and down to the market place, right next to the station. As Riku departed from Kairi, he began to search for his friends, his eyes scanning the light crowds. He didn't know this place real well, but he did know that Sora had come here and knew it like the back of his hand. That might make it easier, or all the more difficult for Riku to find him.

Sora looked around the Usual Spot some more and then headed off to the Sandlot to see if Riku and Kairi had ended up there. Leaving the caged in hang out, he walked down the alleyway and came upon the entrance to the Sandlot. Just as he was about to enter it, he had heard a loud scream come from the Sandlot. "RIKU!" the person screamed.

Sora immediately recognized the voice as Kairi's and dashed down tot he Sandlot to see Kairi staring into the eyes of Axel. Axel glared at her and growled, "Where is Sora?"

Kairi just held up her Keyblade in defense, and called out to Riku again. Sora willed his Keyblade to appeared and then held it above his head, "Light!" He became his Valor Form again and quickly rushed to Kairi's defense. "Leave her be Axel!"

"Sora!" Kairi said, her voice showing a little twinge of joy at seeing her friend.

Riku heard Kairi's cries and immediately rushed out of the market area and towards her voice. His silver hair flew in his face as he raced through the streets, but he didn't care at the moment. His Dark Keyblade appeared in his right hand, a dark aura around it. His eyes narrowed as he entered the Sandlot, seeing Axel standing there in front of Sora and Kairi. _Sora must have heard Kairi,_ he mused in his mind.

He leapt towards Axel and Sora and landed beside Kairi, his Dark Keyblade held up in a fighting stance. "Looking for a fight, Axel?" he asked with a slightly sly tone.

"No, I am here once again, to ask Sora something, not to harm you, otherwise I would have my disks out and you'd all be dead, right?" Axel glowered.

"Shut up you idiotic mongrel!" Sora growled next to Riku.

"Sora, it is you who should be shutting up." Axel warned.

"You leave Sora alone!" Kairi said sourly.

Axel appeared to ignore her and the fact that Riku was even present, instead his eyes turned to Sora. "Will you join us, Sora?" Axel's eyes flashed in the sunlight.

Sora bared his teeth together and retorted angrily, "I wouldn't join you if my life depended on it!"

"But your life does depend on it Sora, that is what you don't seem to understand." Axel said, his voice taunting and his eyes staring at Sora with rage and a sneering look.

Sora eyes hardened into a hateful glare before he swung his Keyblade towards Axel. Riku and Kairi followed his attack a second later, but Axel had somehow managed to jump away and dodge every move they threw at him. His disks appeared in his hands and he flung them at Sora and Riku, seeming to think Kairi wasn't much of a threat, and the fact that he only had two disks.

Riku leapt away from Axel's disk just in the nick of time. He then threw all of his strength into one blow to the disk and flung it straight back at Axel. It came at Axel so fast, it was barely visible, but to everyone's shock, Axel caught it.

Sora leapt nimbly away from the disk, but the disk followed him in a boomerang fashion. He couldn't go anywhere in the air and it struck him in the back. He gasped at the pain that raced through his whole body as the razor blades cut into him. He dropped his Keyblade as he crashed into the hard-packed earth. The Keyblade rolled a few feet off before clattering to a stop. Sora didn't notice that the fighting had stopped, all he saw was the darkness that was threatening to over take him.

"Sora!" Kairi's faint voice filled his ears, but he could not reply.

He heard Axel's laughter, but could do nothing to stop it, and he heard Riku's cry of rage. Then it all faded as he gave into the darkness, hardly realizing that slowly his heart's light was being distinguished by the growing darkness.


	5. Riku's Dark Keyblade

Chapter Five: Riku's Dark Keyblade

"_Sora!" Kairi's faint voice filled his ears, but he could not reply._

_He heard Axel's laughter, but could do nothing to stop it, and he heard Riku's cry of rage. Then it all faded as he gave into the darkness, hardly realizing that slowly his heart's light was being distinguished by the growing darkness._

Riku cried in rage as he saw the blades cut through Sora's back. With his Dark Keyblade gripped tightly in his hand, he rushed Axel, but he was already vanishing in the darkness. The steal of his Dark Keyblade crashed into the hard-packed earth, cracking it, but doing nothing else. Riku looked over at his fallen friend. Kairi was on her knees, her eyes wet with tears as she saw the blood on Sora. His eyes were closed and Riku felt a prickle of fear, what if Sora was dead?

Racing over to Sora, Riku dropped down beside Kairi and was relieved to see Sora breathing shallowly, but it was enough.

"Do you think he'll be alright, Riku?" Kairi asked, her voice quavering from fear of the loss of her dear friend.

He put an arm around Kairi's shoulders and said, "He'll be alright. We just need to move him, but seeing as we can't drag him, we'll have to carry him. I'll need your help." Riku instructed.

After a few minutes, Riku and Kairi carefully set Sora down on the couch that Olette sat on. Just as Riku sat down, thinking about how he was going to help Sora, a voice came from the outside of the Usual Spot, "Hey did you see Seifer's face? He looked like a sissy running down the road crying like a baby!" came a laughing voice.

"Yeah! I wish Sora had seen it, he would have laughed, I know he would have!" came a girl's voice.

"I wonder where Sora is now. He promised he'd visit us again."

Riku instantly tensed, "Kairi, who are they?"

"They're friends of ours. Sora knew them from something to do with Roxas and then he came here and met them." Kairi responded whipping her face, clearing the tears away. "Their names are Hayner, Pence, and Olette."

Suddenly the curtain was pulled back to reveal a boy with blond hair that fell in his eyes. His face died away from the laughter seeing Riku in their Usual Spot. He didn't seem to notice Kairi and Sora who were off to the side, "Who the heck are you?"

"Who's that?" Riku asked, not taking his eyes off of the boy, his blue eyes were narrowed.

"Hayner, don't mind him. He acted like this when he met Sora…" Kairi responded.

Hayner turned to look at Kairi and saw Sora lying on the couch. "Whoa!"

The other's poked their hands in and pushed Hayner in as they saw Sora, the girl, Olette gasped, "What did you do to him?"

"Me? Why are you accusing _me_?" Riku flared.

"Because maybe a _certain someone might have done_ that a few years back…" Kairi muttered, not meeting Riku's eyes, a smirk on her face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Riku growled, glaring at Kairi.

"So you did cut Sora up!" Hayner accused.

"No!"

"But you _would_ have." Kairi responded, laughing slightly despite her friend's condition. She had always loved teasing Sora and Riku.

"Shut up Kairi! And _I_ didn't do this, it was Axel!" Riku finished, his blue eyes flaring with anger.

"Axel? Isn't he the guy that kidnapped Kairi and-" Pence began.

"-and was killed?" Olette finished.

"The very same." Kairi responded. "I don't know what to do to help him either…"

"Maybe I could…" Riku reached down and picked up Sora's Keyblade that was lying on the ground. The minute his fingers touched it, the key vanished. "Oh well…I tried."

"What were you going to do?" Olette asked, glancing at Sora's limp form.

"Try to use the Keyblade to heal his wounds, but it doesn't like him very well. They aren't the best of friends." Kairi said, laughing at this statement. And then she grew serious, "Do you think you could heal him with your Keyblade, Riku?"

"Oh so you're Riku!" Pence said, but Riku ignored him.

"I don't really want to try. If what Scalvatrx said is true, then that means I might just help the darkness in his heart. After all, my Keyblade is a dark Keyblade. It strengthens darkness." Riku answered doubtfully.

"Then does that mean that you're with the dark side, evil? Is that why you wield a dark Keyblade?" Hayner asked.

"I control the power of darkness, stupid. If I was with the dark side you'd-" Riku was cut off by Kairi piping up again, "But you already worked for Maleficent and Organization XIII! You were an evil person!"

"-all be dead right now." Riku finished and turned to Kairi, "And would you please just shut up!"

"Bite me!" Kairi muttered, and then turned back to Sora.

"Why don't you use a potion?" Olette asked.

"I don't think we have any." Riku pointed out.

"We do, here you can see if it works." Pence handed Riku a potion from one of his pockets. "I always carry one just in case one of us gets hurt." Pence explained. Riku nodded and turned to Sora without saying 'thank you' or anything in the such, and used the potion.

Sora blinked and looked around him. Where was he? The place he was at had no strand of light in it and nor did it contain any joy, anger, sadness, or pain. It was just empty. Standing up, Sora called out, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

His voice rang through the eternal darkness. A sense of deep sadness filled his heart for some reason. He felt lonely, not cared for, and abandoned. Nothing was here in this dark room and Sora believed it to be an abyss. "Where am I?…" he questioned himself aloud, his eyes trailing for dark space to dark space.

Sora turned around and saw, way off in the distance, a faint, but hopeful strand of light. He reached out for it and began to run after it, his eyes filling with hope. His shoes thudded loudly against the darkness, but Sora didn't seem to notice. He just wanted to reach the light. As he drew closer, he heard a voice booming in his head, _Do not step into the light! Don't go into the light Sora!_ The voice warned him, but Sora wanted to be rid of the emptiness in him and this room.

"We should try your Keyblade Riku. It's not working and he's still bleeding." Olette pointed out.

"As much as I don't like it, I agree with Olette, Riku, we should try." Kairi said, her voice full of doubt, but hope.

Riku sighed, willing his Keyblade to appear, "Okay, if you say so…" With that, he held his Keyblade above Sora and said, "Cure!" A shadowed light entered Sora. Their friend didn't seem to change for a moment and their hope was lost, but Sora's eyes suddenly popped open. Riku watched as he lifted himself up into sitting position, flinching in pain.

"Are you OK, Sora?" Kairi asked.

"My back…it hurts." Sora said weakly. "What happened?"

"Axel cut you pretty badly with his spinning disks, but I think you'll be OK now." Riku explained.

"Who was talking? I heard someone tell me something, but I couldn't make out the words." Sora said, looking at everyone, his blue eyes misted over.

Riku was confused, no one had spoke something Sora could have heard, had they, "What did they say? Or who's voice did it sound like?"

"I don't know really. They just said something about a light…"

"What are you talking about Sora?" Hayner asked, looking at his friend curiously.

Sora just shook his head, but Riku wanted to know more, but didn't ask, resisting the temptation. His friend was in no condition to be interrogated at the moment.

Sora didn't understand. Why didn't they understand…or was it that he had been there alone after all, but who had the voice belonged to? He narrowed his eyes in frustration, but the aching pain in his back wouldn't leave him in peace. Maybe he could heal it. He willed the Keyblade to appear in his hand and it did. Holding it in his lap, he muttered softly, "Cure," The wave of green leaves danced before his eyes and the pain receded and Sora was left to sit there, not talking or looking at any one.

What was wrong with him? Normally he'd have been chattering away to his old friends and newer ones. Kairi seemed to sense the change in him too and asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Sora looked at Kairi and then back at his hands.

"Just wondering. You see, Riku was afraid if he used his Dark Keyblade on you, in might help the darkness in your heart take over. It was the only choice we had to use, and it worked, but we don't know how it would affect you." Kairi responded lightly, hoping Sora wouldn't start getting all upset and what-not.

Sora was the exact opposite, instead he just continued to stare at his hands, his eyes clouded over in thought. Though he was awake, he still felt the same emptiness, he wanted to know why, but could not find the words to ask his friends. And if he told them, what would they think that he was crazy?

"So it didn't affect you for what you know?" Riku's voice broke through Sora's thoughts and made him look up.

"Uh wha'? Oh, I-I really don't know." Sora responded bluntly and looked back down at his hands. What if the empty feeling came from the darkness? That just might be what it was, he'd have to ask Riku because he was the only one who had become someone of darkness. Of course Sora had become a Heartless at one time, but that memory wasn't a very vivid one at the moment.

Sora looked at everyone, seeing concern in their eyes. He knew he didn't want to worry them anymore than they already were, so he decided to ask Riku later. "What do you think we should do?" Sora asked, trying to keep his mind off the growing darkness inside of him.

"I think we should go check on everyone else who has probably been attacked by Axel. There may be no one, but I wouldn't want to take the risk." Kairi suggested, looking at the red tarp.

Sora nodded, "I agree with Kairi, we should go check on everyone and see if they're alright."

Everyone nodded and they started off towards the Sandlot. Sora trekked in front, his blue eyes were glazed over with a darker shade of blue color, but no one had noticed yet. Pulling back the tarp, he raced towards the Sandlot, his Keyblade in his hand. Reaching the Sandlot, Sora saw that no one seemed to be hurt. Seifer was back too.

Seifer appeared to have heard them because he turned around and walked up to Sora at once, a look of fury on his face. "Get out of my town kid! Whenever you're here, there's trouble."

Sora was taken aback by the harshness in Seifer's voice, but spat back, "I'm not leaving here, this isn't your town because you don't own it!"

"Shut up you stupid, little mongrel!" Seifer snarled, taking out a glowing blue sword.

Sora's Keyblade came to his right hand. "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get." Sora said lightly, yet sneering at the same time. He gripped his Keyblade with both hands and raised it above his head, unaware of Riku's own Keyblade coming down on his. Sora yelled his battle cry, sending the Kingdom Key down to the ground, but it was stopped instantly by Riku. Their blades twisted and Riku quickly knocked it away from Sora, sending it a few feet away, only to have it sink into the ground.

"Enough Sora! We did not come here for another fight." Riku's voice was cold.

Sora turned to Riku, his eyes flashing. Anger swirled within him, making him angry and dangerous, in a way. Sora didn't know why he was behaving the way he was, it had been like this ever since the Heartless had been rid of last time. He had had a growing distrust of Riku, and now, for some reason, he felt like attacking Riku himself, without reason. Baring his teeth, he looked at Riku with a smirk, "Have you ever wondered when it's my turn to fight you without reason?" His voice was smooth, but held mockery and dangerous purpose.

Riku looked taken aback at the darkness in Sora's voice. But he held up his Keyblade anyway, even against his own will. Sora's appeared in his hand. That was when Riku saw the darkness in his friend's eyes. They were misted over, speckled with blackness, turning his ocean blue eyes into an angry storm-like color. His Dark Keyblade really had done something to his friend!


	6. The Dark Side of Sora

Chapter Six: The Dark Side of Sora

_Riku looked taken aback at the darkness in Sora's voice. But he held up his Keyblade anyway, even against his own will. Sora's appeared in his hand. That was when Riku saw the darkness in his friend's eyes. They were misted over, speckled with blackness, turning his ocean blue eyes into an angry storm-like color. His Dark Keyblade really had done something to his friend!_

"Sora," Kairi gasped, her eyes becoming troubled. What was wrong with her friend? She had sensed the darkness within his heart, it was unusually strong within him. "Why do you act like this?"

Sora's eyes seemed to grow brighter at the sound of Kairi's voice, but they misted over once more. Kairi blinked as she felt a wave of warm run through her, and then a chill. Was she sensing the battle between dark and light? That was her best guess and she wondered if Sora himself, was not really Sora for a moment there, but the darkness speaking. That was when his eyes caught hers. They were cold and emotionless.

"Kairi, you stay out of this, or I will be forced to attack you too." Sora's voice was dark and Kairi knew instantly that it wasn't Sora speaking.

"Riku! You're Keyblade! You've done something to the darkness in Sora's heart! That isn't Sora!" Kairi yelled at Riku just as the teen was about to strike out at Sora for the words he had told Kairi. Riku stopped and looked at Kairi with a confused look on his face.

"What do you mean it isn't him?"

"That isn't Sora, the real Sora, your friend speaking! That's the darkness in his heart, you know Sora would never wish to harm you!" Kairi explained.

Seifer looked at them as if they were crazy and muttered, "If there was ever a crazy person, it would be you guys…" That remark was something he paid for. Kairi watched as Sora struck him with lightning speed in the head, knocking the boy out cold.

Sora turned to face Riku, and swung out at him, force behind the blow, but Riku paired, not listening to Kairi. Riku moved his blade through the air, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't hit Sora, but it came when Sora knocked his Keyblade from his hand. His eyes flashed a black, emotionless color before he raised the blade to Riku's throat, prepared to snap his neck with one blow.

"Stop it Sora!" Kairi yelled at him. The Keyblade dropped to the ground and Sora's eyes became dilated. The others stood by, feeling helpless because they knew nothing of what the small group of friends was feeling.

Sora felt a certain strength flood through his whole body. He couldn't see anything but black and couldn't feel any pain that might have been there. He was in darkness, but the strength provided light. The light was powerful, he slowly regained his vision, but it was blurry. His movements were unsteady and not sure. His eyes were clouded, but no longer dark. As he swayed where he stood, he wondered what had happened, if anything had happened. Then he heard disoriented voices.

"I don't care if it's not Sora! He just knocked that kid out!" Sora knew that was Riku by his rough voice. But what did Riku mean he had knocked 'that kid' out?

"Riku! If you even attempt to hit him, so help me I'll-" That was Kairi's voice. She sounded so mad that she could kill Riku right on spot.

"Wha-what happened?" Sora muttered weakly, his vision slowly returning. He felt weak again, as if he had been beaten or something. Blinking he looked around him and then down at the ground. His eyes caught sight of Seifer and he drew back as he saw blood trickle down the guy's head.

"Sora!" Kairi said cheerfully, running up him and giving him a hug. "You're back!"

"Of course I am. What happened to Seifer and what do you mean 'I'm back'?" Sora asked, his voice still out of focus, but not by much.

"Well you see…" Kairi went through explaining everything, how he was going to fight Riku, how Riku was going to attack him for talking to her like that and all that other stuff.

"You mean I-But I don't remember any of that stuff…" Sora muttered, his eyes downcast.

"What do you remember?" Riku asked him, his blue eyes flashing.

"Darkness. That's all I saw, all I felt. No pain, no anger, just darkness…emptiness…" Sora told Riku, his eyes becoming deeply troubled. "Riku, what's wrong with me?"

Riku glared at him, "Why are you asking me? Like I would answer when you threatened to break my neck!"

Sora blinked, looking up at Riku and shook his head, "I-I would never do that!"

Sora felt torn between truth and what he thought. He hadn't known anything but the darkness around him. He hadn't the anger that had been in him as they had said. He only felt a growing emptiness. He turned away from his friends, unable to face them. What had he done? What was he doing know? Sora wondered if he could even trust himself in battle or any other place.

"Sora, I know what is wrong with you," Riku's voice floated into Sora's ears, making him whirl around with a questioning look planted on his face. "You now have a dark side to you. I know perfectly well that you would never try to hurt a friend. But you must know that having a dark side and being your regular self can earn you a lot more danger to your list."

"And what's that?" Sora asked Riku.

"Well number one, no one knows when you're in your dark form unless you look at your eyes. So if you were in your dark form, and were visiting some town and we weren't around, there would be a lot of dead people and Heartless about. Number two, the darkness in you is a lot stronger because I think it has been growing a long time, years maybe, but now it has chosen to revel it's self."

"Speaking of Heartless, I haven't seen one yet." Sora muttered. "I wonder where they all are…"

"That's what I was thinking." Riku responded, glancing at the others, he said, "Have you guys seen any?"

Olette, Pence, and Hayner shook their heads, "Not in years."

"Then that mean either someone is planning something, or they've been around, but haven't seen any because they're hiding themselves from us." Riku explained to them.

"Yeah, but if they're planning something, what do you think it is?" Sora asked Riku, his Keyblade vanishing from the ground and appearing in his hand.

"I really don't know, but it's about time we leave this world and go find someone who can help us." Riku looked at Sora. Sora was looking at the others and then turned back to Riku and nodded.

"Well, I guess we'd best go find Donald and Goofy, they've helped me before." Sora suggested. Riku and Kairi nodded. All three of them turned to their old friends and waved a farewell, it was time that they got moving.

"Bye guys!" Pence, Olette, and Hanger waved as Riku made a portal of darkness appear.

Sora waved back and said, "We'll visit again!" He then turned to Riku and said bluntly, "I'm not going through that."

Riku turned to look at him, "Why not?"

"Because darkness can't breach Disney Castle, you should know that. We'll take the train." Sora grumbled.

"But we don't even have any munny." Riku pointed out.

"We can lend you some," Olette offered, shoving a bag of munny into Sora's hands. Sora opened his mouth to protest, but Olette shook her head, "Keep it, we don't have any use for it."

"Well, if you're sure…" Sora looked up at Olette, who nodded. His reluctant look turned to a smile, and with that, he thanked them and raced off towards the Station. Seifer was still out cold, and he lay forgotten.


	7. Disney Castle

Chapter Seven: Disney Castle

"_But we don't even have any munny." Riku pointed out._

"_We can lead you some," Olette offered, shoving a bag of munny into Sora's hands. Sora opened his mouth to protest, but Olette shook her head, "Keep it, we don't have any use for it."_

"_Well, if you're sure…" Sora looked up at Olette, who nodded. His reluctant look turned to a smile, and with that, he thanked them and raced off towards the Station. Seifer was still out cold, and he lay forgotten._

_**It had been many hours since they had left Twilight Town and midnight was well on it's way….**_

Sora sat on the train, his chin resting on the palm of his hand. His eyes were closed, Sora was asleep at the moment. Riku was looking out the window; his expression was unreadable. Kairi was looking at Sora and then at Riku. How long had it been since they had been enemies? Three years in all; now they just looked like bored friends, except Sora's calm, yet sad expression he had in his sleep. She knew how much Sora cared for his friends, and now he was going to see his other friends again, but that meant he would be putting everyone in danger.

Kairi yawned, she was tired like the others. It had been a long day and she wanted to sleep. She closed her eyes, her head laid back on the cold metal of the train and she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Riku saw Kairi try and get some sleep out of the corner of his eye. He smiled slightly, knowing that Kairi was the only one that hadn't really changed. She held no mistrust for either friend and still cared for them. Sora and Riku had little distrust, but enough to disagree very easily. Riku didn't ever think that their friendship would mend. He had done the wrong thing, but it was all because of Maleficent. She had tricked him, told him that Sora had made new friends and had pushed him away; him and Kairi both. But when he had discovered the truth, it was already too late, he was dark then.

Sighing, he turned back to look out the window and saw Disney Castle off in the distance. They would arrive soon. Riku wondered if he would be able to present himself to the king. He had done so many wrong things! After Maleficent was killed, he joined the Organization so he could still use his dark powers. He had betrayed King Mickey, Sora, and Kairi again, but that was long ago. Why was it still bothering him then? He had helped Kairi escape, and that was probably why she trusted him, but he had still injured Sora deeply.

Riku had discovered how much Sora cared for his friends when he gave up his life for Kairi. That had forced him to become a Heartless, thus created Roxas. And Riku still didn't find much light, instead he got himself stuck in darkness and escaped, joining the Organization. How stupid he had been!

"That's all behind me now," Riku told himself quietly. He cast a glance towards Sora and Kairi. Sora was just waking up, but Kairi slept on.

"Huh? What Riku?" Sora mumbled, the sleep still in his voice.

"It was nothing Sora." Riku told him, not turning back to look at Riku.

"Hey Riku, do you think that I'll have this dark side forever?" Sora asked him.

"It's possible Sora, but let me warn you of something. Every time you turn into your dark self, the features and power in that form will began to change and strength each time. Also the amount of time you're in your dark form doubles each time as well." Riku explained. "And when all of this stops, it to late, the darkness has taken your heart. That was what happened to me through lies and rage. Then I slowly began to lust for more power, and that is why I was who I was."

"How do you think I turn into that dark form?" Sora asked, his voice unreadable.

"I'm not sure, but I think it is darkness that triggers it. The only reason why I think this is because when I used my Dark Keyblade to heal you; in doing so, that sent darkness into you and helped the darkness in your heart grow. I don't think the light in your heart can die, but it can be pushed away, Sora."

Sora was confused, and worried. He had a dark side to him, but he didn't know when it would come out, and he wasn't understanding half of what Riku was telling him. If darkness grew each time he encountered darkness, wouldn't just fighting Heartless trigger the dark side of him? Sora blinked, probably not, but he wouldn't ask Riku about it. Riku might not even know anyway.

He looked away from Riku and glanced out the window. He could see Disney Castle, they were very close. Sora stood up and walked over to Kairi. He shook her shoulder slightly, waking her. Kairi's eyes opened and she asked drowsily, "Are we there yet?"

"Almost, about another minute." he told her, sitting down.

"Oh, alright Sora. You've been here before, right?' Kairi asked him, yawning.

"Huh? Oh yeah," Sora responded.

"Then you have to show us around." she told him, her eyes opening all the way. "But you'll have to wait until I wake up…" Kairi yawned again and looked around her as if trying to keep awake.

"Well, we can't wait because we're there." Riku stated as the train came to a stop. He got to his feet and went towards the door, opened it and stepped to the front of the train. The door shut automatically behind him.

Sora stood up and then headed after Riku, opening the door and walking down the hallway. Reaching the door, he saw Riku hop off just as he reached it. Kairi was following behind him. As he jumped off, Kairi gripped the edge of the door and took a leap just as the train lunged forward to leave. Kairi's jump was over balanced and she fell towards the ground. Riku and Sora dove to catch her. Sitting her up on her feet, Sora turned to the train with a scowl.

Then he told the others to follow him as he headed for the Throne Room. Riku and Kairi were looking around and Sora was too. He had never been able to get over the castle's beauty. As he neared the Throne Room, he heard a familiar voice ahead of them. "Who do you think it is?" quacked Donald.

Sora looked around but saw no one and then realized it was coming from the curve in the hallway. "Gawsh! I don't know, but all the guards aren't patrolling this hall, Donald, do you think you just imagined it?" came Goofy's voice.

Sora realized they had only heard their footsteps and hadn't seen them. "Hey Sora don't those voices belong to your friends?" Riku asked him.

"Shh! Goofy! I hear them! The vice doesn't ring a bell, who do you think it is?"

"An intruder? But I think I heard them say-" Goofy was cut off by Donald. "No duh! Now hush!"

"Hey! We're not intruders, are we?" Kairi asked.

"I wouldn't think so, but they can't se us! Donald! Goofy! You can stop hiding now." Sora laughed.

"Oh yeah, that was their names," Riku said, nodding, and then watched as the two emerge from the twist in the hallway.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy gasped. "Why are you here?"

"We came to ask you something…and the King." Sora added the last part after a long pause.

Riku and Kairi looked at one another with a confused glance and then Riku asked, "The King?"

"Yeah. I have to ask him something." Sora explained.

"Like what?" Riku looked at Sora with confusion in his eyes. But there was also a small knowing glint in his eyes.

"You'll find out," was Sora's only reply.

"Okay Sora, follow us." Donald ordered.

"And what were you wanting to ask us?" Goofy questioned.

"I'll tell you when we get there." Sora promised.

"Do you guys actually live here?" Kairi said with wonder, looking around. "You're so lucky!"

No one had time to reply. Donald was already opening the Throne Room doors, "Your Majesty," Donald bowed, "there is someone here to see you."

"Who is it, Donald?" King Mickey questioned, gesturing for everyone to come in.

Donald quickly moved out of the way as Goofy came in, followed by Sora, Riku, and Kairi. "It's us, King Mickey. I have to ask you something important." Sora spoke for himself as he went up to the throne. Standing in front of Mickey, Riku and Kairi were still behind him, but Goofy and Donald had to catch up.

"Nice to see you again Sora. What is it that you want to ask me?" Mickey looked at Sora with his usual friendly look.

"It's about the Heartless." Sora began. He looked back at his friends and saw them nodding their heads.

"I should have known you'd ask about that Sora." Riku stated, a grin plastered on his face.

"What about them?" Mickey's voice was full of wonder and worry.

"We know they're back, but we can't seem to find any. Have you noticed anything?" Sora asked.

"Yes, but it is faint. Tell me Sora, how do you know that the Heartless are back, are you certain?"

"I am very certain, your Majesty. I met this man named Scalvatrx…" Sora began to tell about what had all happened just yesterday.

When he had finished, Mickey look surprised, "What a busy day! And a horrible one at that! I am quite interested in this dark form of yours, though. It is a bad thing; and it is a bad thing that I can barely tell where the Heartless are. That means they are hiding on some world, or in scattered places. But Sora, you told me you didn't understand what Scalvatrx meant when you said that he had told you that you had to discover who you really were. I think he may have meant that you do not know the depths of your power with your Keyblade. He must have known something like this was going to happen."

"Do you know him?" Sora asked.

"No, I've never heard of him." Mickey responded.

Sora nodded and then turned to Donald and Goofy, "I was wondering if you could help us on my quest?"

Donald and Goofy looked at one another and then at the King. It was Donald who responded, "If we're to do that, then you'll have to wait. We can't go just yet. To much to do, but we can catch up with you."

Sora nodded, "Alright." He was disappointed his friends couldn't come right away, but at least they'd catch up to him.

"Now that that is settled, we can go now." Riku said.

"But where to?" Sora asked him, turning to look at Riku, "and how? You can't use one of those dark portals in here and we can't get on the train because it left."

"I can get you a ride to Traverse Town, if you want to go there, that is." Mickey butted in.

Sora nodded gratefully, "Alright, we can go there. Besides, we just might meet the others."

"Good," Mickey looked towards Donald and said, "Go get them a ride, oh and Donald…" Mickey bent over to whisper something in Donald's ear.

Sora caught a few words, "Don't….go…Organization XIII…."

Sora blinked and tried to hold back a gasp. The Organization-the whole Organization-was back? Or did he not understand all of it. Apparently Riku had heard too and looked towards Sora, guessing what he was thinking. Riku nodded and then looked sideways, indicating that he would tell Sora later. He had heard even more than Sora.

Donald nodded and began to walk down the huge Throne Room floor until he reached the door. He opened it and shut it behind him, disappearing into the hallway. Sora wanted to ask the king how much knew, but was sure that Mickey wouldn't tell him. "Okay guys, you can go meet Donald outside. I can't give you one of our Gummi Ships, so you'll be riding a train." Mickey explained.

Minutes later, Sora was boarding yet another train, but this one was destined to Traverse Town. He sat down on the nearest seat and was silent until the train started off. "Riku, how much did you hear?" Sora asked.

"Mickey said that Donald shouldn't reveal anything about the Organization and that-" Riku was cut off by the train abruptly stopping. Everyone was suddenly thrown forward, the breath taken from them.

Sora was the first to stand, "What was that for?" he growled, looking up at the engineer's small compartment. When he got no respond, he pulled back the door to reveal that the train had no driver and a sword was smashed into the controls.

Yeah, yeah, yeah! This all happens rather fast, but in the game, it only takes one day if you never noticed! Okay next chapter is just from where I got bored and I REALLY like the idea of Sora's Dark Form, so…-you'll find out!


	8. Heartless in Traverse Town

Sorry for the wait, and if you've been wondering why it suddenly switches in ths fan fiction-well it deletes the stuff I put there to sperate it-srry guys, but I do promise this gets better as you get deeper into it-Especailly 13-24!

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Chapter Eight: Heartless in Traverse Town

"_Mickey said that Donald shouldn't reveal anything about the Organization and that-" Riku was cut off by the train abruptly stopping. Everyone was suddenly thrown forward, the breath taken from them._

_Sora was the first to stand, "What was that for?" he growled, looking up at the engineer's small compartment. When he got no respond, he pulled back the door to reveal that the train had no driver and a sword was smashed into the controls._

"What the-" Sora was about to finish his statement when the train gave another huge lurch and he was thrown to his knees. A loud scraping noise filled the air and Sora quickly reached to cover his ears.

"Sora! Kairi! Uhhhh…." Riku gasped as his head banged into one of the poles on the train. Sora heard a groan come from Riku as his friend blacked out.

"Riku!" Kairi yelled over the scraping noise. She quickly made her way towards her fallen friend. Sora was just about to close his eyes when he saw Kairi was looking at the pole. He could make out a small, thin slash going all the way through the pole, making it go off-balance. He blinked with surprise, where had that come from? The pole's edge, where Riku had hit it, was jutting out with a sharp end.

The train rocked again, making Sora roll from where he was kneeling. He fell over and crashed into a row of seats. He grunted as he heaved himself to his knees, not wanting to stand.

Sora looked up from where he was and saw that Kairi was still bent over Riku. There was blood matting his silver hair. Sora made a face that said that-had-to-hurt! Suddenly he heard a rustle from another compartment in the train. There was a clash of metal somewhere.

Then came a loud yell from somewhere in the train before everything grew silent. Sora's eyes grew wide as he saw a shadow appear in front of the door's glass that was cracks and splintered.

"Kairi!" he warned, "Some one is outside!" Sora made his words quiet, but Kairi had heard him over the bone-chilling silence.

Before Sora could even blink, the door gave a loud _CRACK! _before slamming into the other side of the train, bent and twisted. "Whoa!" came a voice from all the dust. "Nice one,"

"Hush," ordered a second voice.

Sora blinked as the dust cleared, he could make out two figures. One was wearing a black robe just like the ones the Organization XIII had worn and had gloved hands. His hood was pulled back to reveal cold, icy blue eyes. The man had dark sandy hair that went to his shoulder. He had a scar on his face, running from the edge of his eye to the corner of his mouth. Sora knew who the second person was and was very surprised to see him.

"Leon…why are you with Scalvatrx?" Sora managed to ask as he looked at his friend and enemy, the shock on his face was clear.

"You still think of me as an enemy? Well you should at the moment. You have failed what must be stopped. It is not your fault though, Sora, a dark force entered you and powered the strain of steadily growing darkness in your heart. In doing so, it has destroyed half of the light in your heart and the darkness took a form. That is your dark form, similar to your Anti Form, but it looks exactly like you, but it evil. And you know who caused this. It was your friend Riku," Scalvatrx told him, his voice held a strange calmness that was hiding the rage that flooded his eyes. "Now you must learn how to fight the darkness in your heart, or be destroyed."

Sora just glared at Scalvatrx. He could never trust this man because he acted like an enemy. "How do you know all of this?"

"That is a story for another day." Scalvatrx responded

"Why don't you trust Scalvatrx, Sora? He hasn't done anything to you, has he?" Leon spoke up from the sidelines.

"He is with the darkness!" Sora grumbled.

"Well so is Riku, do you not trust him either?" Leon asked, glancing down at the spot where Riku was. Kairi was beside Riku any more, instead she was glaring at Scalvatrx.

Sora trusted Riku, yes, but not in the way that he had use to trust him. He wouldn't let anyone know that though, "Of course I trust him!"

"I can see it in your eyes, Sora. You are lying to us." Scalvatrx said coolly. "I don't like liars."

Sora was getting mad. He didn't have to answer to someone he didn't trust, or even consider in any point of view, an ally! He had every reason to just plain out hit the guy with his Keyblade! His eyes flashed, "You think you know everything about a person do you?" he growled.

"No, just you and Riku." Scalvatrx replied, his voice glazed with agitation.

"Well I'm afraid you can't know everything about someone, because you can never know something that I do know." Sora smarted off.

"Ah well, there are things that I do not know, I will admit, but I know your future, or some of it, and I know your past."

"If you're so smart, tell me what's about to happen within mere minutes?" Sora spat.

"That is one that I do not know."

"Sora, stop toying with him. I came to ask you something very important." Leon stepped up. He had a stern look on his face.

Before Sora could do anything, a pool of darkness washed through the whole train and devoured everyone in it. When Sora opened his eyes, he would he was no longer in the train, but in a moonlit town. He knew where he was, but he was to angry to even glance around. His eyes were on Scalvatrx alone. The man who he knew to be an enemy, had a hand held up. Sora knew that Scalvatrx had called forth the darkness.

That darkness was gone now, but Riku was awake and standing, looking around him. Sora didn't even notice as he rushed Scalvatrx with inhuman speed. Leon had just turned to see Sora rush at Scalvatrx, a trail of darkness flew through the air where Sora was running.

"Damn it!" he snapped at no one in particular. Sora's Dark Form was taking over, willing Sora to attack the man in which he hated so much. Leon took out his sword and was prepared to stop Sora, when Scalvatrx vanished into a portal of darkness just moments before Sora struck him.

Sora saw him vanish and bent over in rage. His eyes were flashing from an extremely dark blue to a light blue. "Sora, fight it! He provoked you, but remember what happened last time you did this?" Riku shouted.

Sora's head lifted. His eyes weren't blue, but a strange swirling blackness. "Riku…" his voice was hollow and full of rage.

Riku blinked, his eyes flashing. There was challenge and the need to fight in the Dark Form of Sora's voice. "Great! Why are you always after me?" Riku groaned, "Why don't you go after Leon for once?"

Leon shot Riku a dangerous glare. Riku noticed and shook his hand, "Only kidding," he promised.

Sora's Keyblade appeared in hand, but instead of the Kingdom Key, it was a strange black Keyblade. It looked sort of like a mix between Riku's Dark Keyblade and the Oblivion.

Dark Sora looked at Riku with a smirk as Riku's Dark Keyblade appeared in his hand. "Could've killed you last time, but that would take the fun out of a decent fight, now wouldn't it?"

"How can a fight be decent?" Riku jabbed. He rushed Dark Sora with his Keyblade thrown out in front of him. The blades clashed within mere seconds. Both fighters jumped back from one another and rushed again.

"That's just it, they can't be decent until the opponent, becomes the victim." Dark Sora's blade clashed against Riku's. He put force behind it, shoving Riku forward, but Riku leapt into the air and over Dark Sora and hit him from behind. Dark Sora didn't even flinch, instead, he whirled around, the dark Keyblade swinging low to the ground, and tripped Riku. "Too easy."

Then, out of no where, a blade crashed into the side of Dark Sora's head, throwing him to the ground and knocking him unconscious.

"Damn! He looked like he really wanted to kill me just then!" Riku breathed.

"I think he might have, but not Sora himself. Remember, darkness is always controlled by someone, but this isn't Sora's doing." Leon informed Riku, raising his sword above his head. Maybe he had hit Sora a little too hard…or maybe not.

"Why were you with Scalvatrx?" Kairi asked Leon, coming up to them.

"I'll tell you when Sora wakes up. I know he wants to know why. Scalvatrx isn't really a bad guy; he just loves to mess with people. That's what triggered Sora's Dark Form. Anger and deep mistrust, at least that's my opinion." Leon explained.

"I can see that. Why did Sora want to attack me the most, and not you guys at all?" Riku asked, his voice light.

"I can't answer that. You'd have to ask Sora if he'd know." Leon responded, looking at the spot where Sora was lying. He was waking up already.

"I won't be able to ask him anything…"

"Why?"

"Cause I'm going to kill him!" Riku spat grudgingly.

"Somebody's angry!" Kairi said with a teasing voice.

Leon sighed and sat down on a ledge of one of the railings for the stairs. This was not going the way he had planned it. If Scalvatrx hadn't sat there and picked at Sora the way he had, maybe, just maybe, he would have gotten the help he needed. He was sure the others would have helped him anyway, but Scalvatrx was needed for this too. And now he had just hit one of his best friends, just the same way he had when they had met.

"_They'll keep coming after you…as long as you wield the Keyblade. I'm sorry but…I'm going to have to ask you to take a little nap."_

That was what he had first said to Sora before hitting him in the head. But this time it was for a friend's safety, unlike last time.

Sora groaned. There was pain in his back and head. He didn't want to move from where he was because of the pain that seared through him. Sora felt so weak and tired. His eyes opened just as slits, he could see Riku glaring at him, but nothing else. What had he done this time? All he remembered was trying to attack Scalvatrx…and…and then threaten Riku. Everything else was blank. Why had he threatened Riku?

It was the darkness. It had told him Riku was not to be trusted and that he was an enemy that had to be gotten rid of. "Uhhh…" he moaned again as he forced himself to try to sit up, but he just didn't have the strength to.

_If this keeps happening as often as it does, I'd die before someone else did!_ Sora thought, wanting to sleep so badly. He fought the urge and tried to sit up again, but only accomplished in placing his hands on the concrete and that was all. He didn't have the strength to pull himself up yet.

"Huh?" Kairi's voice flooded his ears. "You're awake!"

"I really wish I wasn't…" Sora groaned. His eyes opened all the way and now he could see Leon and Kairi off a little ways. His eyes caught something black. He angled his head and looked to see what it was. Sora's eyes grew wide at what was in his hand. "Ehhhaaa!" he let go of the dark Keyblade that had come from his Dark Form. It vanished as soon as his fingers left it. "What was that?"

"You're damn Keyblade!" Riku spat.

Sora blinked as Kairi helped him sit up on the small wall that Leon was sitting on. He thanked her and turned to Riku, "But that can't be my Keyblade. I don't have a Keyblade that's like th-­" he cut off as he saw something in front of them. Sora knew exactly what it was. It was something he hadn't seen in years. In a flash, his Keyblade appeared. Since he was unable to stand up and fight at the moment, he flung the Keyblade at the black creature in front of him. Everyone turned to see where the Keyblade was headed. They only saw it slam through the Shadow's head, making it vanish on spot. "Man! Just as I was about to go to sleep!" Sora complained.

"I can help you there." Riku said.

"What's your problem? Wait, what'd I do this time?"

"Does, 'Could've killed you last time, but that would take the fun out of a decent fight, now wouldn't it?' ring a bell?" Riku growled.

"I said that?" Sora asked, confused greatly.

"Yes!" Riku grumbled.

"Oh. Well I'm really sorry Riku, but it's nothing that I could have stopped." Sora said bluntly.

"Could have stopped? I could stop it, but I, unlike you, knew more about it. It's not your fault you wanted to kill me, sure." Riku said. He was looking at the ground, a scowl on his face.

"Riku! I'm being serious!" Sora told him, trying to stand, but he fell back. It was a little too far for his liking and he gripped the side, his fingers digging into the cement. He pulled himself forward and looked back at Riku.

"I can't blame you for much, if you've even figured that out." Riku said, looking up and looking at his friends and then his eyes turned to Leon. "You seem quiet, why are you here anyway?"

"For help." Leon stated. "But it'd be futile without Scalvatrx, so I have to wait until he returns."

Sora nodded and yawned, "Leon, do you still have the apartment building over here? I want to go to sleep!" Sora complained.

"Yeah, come on." Leon said.

Kairi helped Sora up and helped him towards the Second District. Leon opened the doors in silence. Riku was following at a distance, ever so often he would look over his shoulder. As Sora was lead into the Second District, he spotted the place where Leon stayed at. There was a light on. "Is Yuffie with you?"

"Nah, she's still in Hollow Bastion helping out there. I just left the light on when I spotted Scalvatrx walking around down here. He reminded me of the Organization XIII, so I went down there." Leon explained.

"What does Hollow Bastion need help with? I thought that it was all fixed down there." Sora pointed out.

"It is, we're just putting up new shops and houses down there." Leon told him.

"Why do you keep looking behind you Riku?" Kairi piped up.

Riku looked at Kairi and shook his head, "It's nothing,"

"Yeah right!" Kairi muttered under her breath. Sora laughed a little. He had been able to hear her only because he was leaning against her for support. "Probably looking to see if a Heartless is following us. That one you destroyed was the first we've seen in three years. It seems like fifty years to me, though."

"Yeah, I wish they were gone." Sora agreed.

They didn't say anything after that. Leon had reached his old apartment. "Hey Leon," Sora began, "why did you rerent this? I thought Hollow Bastion was restored."

"Because I was waiting on you guys." Leon replied, unlocking the door.

Riku stopped where he was. He didn't follow the others into the apartment, instead, his eyes were fixed on the shadows behind him in the furthest part of the alley. "Riku?" Kairi's voice entered his ears. "Are you coming?" she asked.

Riku turned around to look at her and nodded, "Be there in a second." he promised.

Riku swore he had sensed something, something with no heart, but it was not a Heartless. He had sensed a Nobody.


	9. The Return

Chapter Nine: The Return

_Riku stopped where he was. He didn't follow the others into the apartment, instead, his eyes were fixed on the shadows behind him in the furthest part of the alley. "Riku?" Kairi's voice entered his ears. "Are you coming?" she asked._

_Riku turned around to look at her and nodded, "Be there in a second." he promised._

_Riku swore he had sensed something, something with no heart, but it was not a Heartless. He had sensed a Nobody._

"A Nobody…Where are you?" Riku whispered, his sky-blue eyes scanning the dull shadows. He didn't see anything, but it was still there. Blinking, he ignored Kairi's stare and crept over towards the stacked creates.

"Riku, what are you-" Kairi began but Riku cut her off with a wave of his hand to silence her.

When he was able to look behind the crates, his Way to Dawn Keyblade appeared. He snuck behind the crates just to see the wisps of darkness vanishing from a dark portal. "Damn!" he swore and slashed at the crates in his anger. He knew who had been there. The dead Organization XIII, Xigbar. The crates busted easily, but they also attracted attention from Sora and Leon.

"What's going on, Riku?" Sora asked him, poking his head out the door.

But Riku wasn't listening. Instead he was glaring at the spot where Xigbar had been spying on them at. "I missed him!" he snarled, kicking the remains of the creates. His Way to Dawn vanished seeing as he wasn't holding it.

"Who?" Leon asked.

Riku finally looked at them and replied, "An Organization XIII member." He didn't give the name.

"Who was it?" Sora immediately asked.

"I don't know." Riku lied, "Their presence was much more powerful then before, I couldn't be sure." It was true, though, that the power in Xigbar had increased majorly. Had darkness revived every Organization XIII member? Riku wondered. Yes, Riku knew it was darkness that had revived the Organization XIII because that was what had brought Axel back.

"Sora, didn't you tell us that Axel turned out to be an ally after all?" Riku questioned his friend.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because, isn't it strange, that if Axel had been an ally, why is he an enemy now?" Riku pondered.

Kairi and Leon looked at Riku and nodded, but Sora had a confused look on his face. "You know, that's a good question. Why is he against me?"

_The real question is: why are you against me?_ Riku thought to himself.

Axel looked at Sora as he rushed at Scalvatrx. He sensed the growing darkness within the one person who had made him feel real. It was something that had to be stopped, and Axel would stop it to save Sora. He had made an enemy of a friend, but he had to take that risk. Sora didn't yet realize what the Dark Form did to him each time, but Axel knew.

Axel had listened to Scalvatrx only too much to know what happens what happens when you are fully consumed by the darkness within yourself without the help of the outside. Destruction would come if Axel didn't try to help, but how was he to explain that to Riku, Kairi, Sora, and Leon?

His mouth twisted into a frown as he saw Sora's eyes brighten into a yellowish color. How had the darkness gotten so strong within a two day period? Standing in the moonlight, he sat on the roof, his eyes bearing a sad look to him. Roxas was with Sora and Sora was with Roxas. Roxas was Sora, and Roxas was Axel's best friend, which made Sora his best friend.

Sora's fingers were about to scratch at Scalvatrx. Axel knew what was coming. He had learned from experience. The man who had suffered so much, vanished within the darkness, his eyes flashing a silver color. Axel blinked, only once before had he seen that happen to Scalvatrx. That was the day the darkness entered the man who once wielded a Keyblade until the faintest of darkness had taken him completely. That day it had happened, was the day Axel was there.

Scalvatrx's eyes had flashed a silver color before he had attacked Axel with unimaginable powers, but Axel had escaped. Now Scalvatrx had fought the darkness down, but he had had help from a man who was dead now: Ansem the Wise.

Axel sighed and stood up, his black cloak flowing in the wind that raced over the rooftops. Suddenly he felt eyes boring into him. Looking down, he spotted Riku looking at him with mistrust. Axel looked back, but his eyes were full of annoyance and sadness. Riku should understand, after all, he had been possessed by Xemnas-the fake Ansem. His heart had fallen into such a darkness that he could not reach the surface.

Axel shook his head before summoning a dark portal and vanishing, not looking back down at the others.

He knew that the Organization XIII was back, and he knew where they where, but he could not get close enough to Riku to tell him. He wouldn't tell Sora because all the Organization XIII would do, was take him and put them in the Organization as Roxas. He wasn't stupid.

Axel was going some place where he could explain everything-he hoped. He was sick of fighting his friends, but it was finished yet, but maybe after a little chat, it would be.

Sora sighed when he didn't get a reply and went back inside. Leon had already gone back in and was sitting on the bed that was downstairs. He was reading some paper that was stamped with a strange mark on the right-hand corner of it.

Sora didn't ask what it was. He knew Leon would tell him what it was if he wanted to. Instead, he turned to look at Kairi and Riku. Both had just come back inside. Kairi was just shutting the door as Riku stated, "Hey Leon, you have any food in this place?"

Leon looked up from the letter and nodded, "In the kitchen."

"Duh!" Kairi couldn't help but say. Riku shot her an annoyed look as he headed towards the kitchen.

Sora yawned as he went over towards the couch. He was tired, but at least he was able to walk on his own-for a few minutes at least. He dropped on the couch and just watched everyone. Riku was digging through the cabinets while Kairi was leaning over Leon's shoulder, reading the letter. Leon didn't seem to notice, or much less mind.

Leon, after a few seconds, looked up at said, "There's two beds upstairs. They enlarged the apartments, I found out. You can go up there, the couch isn't to comfortable."

Sora nodded. He knew the couch wasn't comfortable. It was old and lumpy. He picked himself up and headed upstairs, yawning half the way. "What a night…" he muttered to himself as he opened the door to the room upstairs.

At first he didn't notice the figure sitting in a chair halfway across the room, but the black coat caught his attention. "Huh?" Suddenly he saw Axel sitting in the chair, a bored look on his face. "Axel!" Though Sora was tired, he summoned his Keyblade anyway.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! I'm not here to fight you, just to talk to you." Axel explained.

"What's to talk about?" Sora growled, gripping his Keyblade tighter.

"The questions you keep asking." Axel replied, a sneer on his face.

"Yeah? And why would you want to answer them?" Sora challenged, not changing his stance.

"Because I've tried to help you, but you insist on not cooperating. Now cut the chit-chat. Riku asked you why I was your enemy. Well for starters, I'm not your enemy. Number two, you have no reason not to trust me or Scalvatrx, we just are who we are. Number three, you have to listen to me for force yourself to death. Number four, I know everything you need on the Organization XIII. Number five, Riku was lying to you." Axel counted things off on his fingers, and then looked back at Sora, "Got that memorized?"

"Shut up. I have my reasons for not trusting you guys now. You're my enemy and that's final, Riku never lied to me, and what do you mean 'force yourself to death'?" Sora growled, his grip on his Keyblade seemed to loosen.

"Well, if you put that Keyblade away, I'll explain everything." Axel promised. Sora looked down at . You're my enemy and that's final, Riku never lied to me, and what do you mean 'force yourself to death'?" Sora growled, his grip on his Keyblade seemed to loosen.

"Well, if you put that Keyblade away, I'll explain everything." Axel promised. Sora looked down at his Keyblade, making it vanish. Axel smiled and then nodded, "Good. Now, I don't care what your objectives are, but I have to speak with Riku, and not you, got that?"

"What!" Sora snapped, his voice rising with anger.

"Calm down, you'll attract the others downstairs. Riku can tell you, but he needs to know more than you, but trust me, I'd tell you everything if it weren't for your safety." Axel said.

"You sound like Saix!" Sora grumbled, his voice holding venom.

Axel decided to ignore that comment. He hated being compared to his enemies. It always stung, but Sora's word came back to him. The words he had said before Axel had vanished from existence.

"_You can tell her that yourself Axel…Axel?…Axel…_"

That was when he had told Sora about Roxas. They had been allies all along, but Sora never realized it until Axel had met his demise. "Go get Riku, Sora. I can't go down there without being attacked, and you know it. But if you don't tell anyone I'm up here, I'll let you listen to the most important part."

"Fine." Sora finally agreed.

As Sora made it downstairs, he wondered if Axel could really be trusted, but he seemed OK, but only at the moment. As he came into view of the others, he noticed Leon's gaze was fixed on him, "Hey, I thought you were going to sleep?"

For once, Sora dared ignore his friend as he walked over to Kairi and Riku. Riku was eating a sandwich while speaking to Kairi, "So, do you think Sora's-" Kairi cut off as she spotted Sora coming towards them.

Riku turned to see what she was looking at and saw Sora looking at Riku. Sora's eyes were full of flaming fury, and the deepest mistrust Riku had ever seen, but there was a shadowed look about his appearance. "Sora? What are you doing up?" Riku asked, hoping all of the mistrust and anger wasn't directed towards him and Kairi.

Sora sat down beside him and whispered in his ear, "I can't tell you yet, but come up stairs with me, I have to talk to you." Sora didn't mention Axel, knowing Riku wouldn't listen to anything else Sora would have to tell him.

"Why? About what?" Riku asked back quietly.

"Number one, the Organization XIII, number two, Scalvatrx, number three why you lied to me. Got that memorized?" Sora said the last part as a huge hint.

He sensed Riku's tension as he looked at Sora, his lips twisting into a frown. Sora turned away and headed upstairs without so much as a glance towards Riku or Leon, or the watching Kairi. Reaching the closed door, he opened it to reveal Axel sitting in the chair backwards, his arms resting on the back of it. His head was laid upon his head, his eyes boring into Sora as he walked in.

"Surprised you came back with Riku and not a Keyblade in sight. Okay, now all of this stuff I'm about to tell you is very serious and I want no interruptions, got that?" Axel growled.

Riku was looking at Axel with a deep misgiving. He watched the former ally's every move. Sora on the other hand, was sitting on the one of the beds, spoke up, "Alright, alright, you already told me this was important, but want I really want to know is what you-"

"Do you want me to explain it Sora?" Axel asked.

Sora fell silent as Axel began, "Now, Xemnas, Saix,-Opps, almost forgot, Sora, I told you that you can't listen to some of this, but only for your safety. Now good-bye." Axel lifted his head and summoned a dark portal around Sora.

"Hey! Wait, but I-" Sora was cut off as he was taken by the dark portal.

"Don't worry, Sora, Scalvatrx will explain everything you need to know!" Axel called as the dark portal vanished.


	10. Axel

Chapter Ten: Axel

_Sora fell silent as Axel began, "Now, Xemnas, Saix,-Opps, almost forgot, Sora, I told you that you can't listen to some of this, but only for your safety. Now good-bye." Axel lifted his head and summoned a dark portal around Sora._

"_Hey! Wait, but I-" Sora was cut off as he was taken by the dark portal._

"_Don't worry, Sora, Scalvatrx will explain everything you need to know!" Axel called as the dark portal vanished._

Axel looked over at Riku, who was now glaring at him with the deepest of rage, but Axel acted as if he hadn't seen it and began, "Okay, I told him he could not hear the things about the Organization only for his safety. You'll understand after you hear what I have to say." Axel reassured Riku. "You see, Xemnas, Saix, Xigbar, Demyx, Larxene, Vexen, and Luxord are planning things once again. The other three, I really can't say anything about them. Anyway, they are wanting three things: One, power, two, a new world, three, a heart. Every single one of those things can be obtained from Sora."

"But how is that possible?" Riku asked, dumbfounded.

"The power that is in Sora's heart is stronger than Sora even knows, and all they have to do is steal Sora's heart. They would capture his heart, and no doubt, Xemnas would use the power. A heart for each of them would be obtained by his Dark Keyblade, he would unlock others hearts, the Organization may never get their real, true hearts back, but they would have one, but the darkness within their Nobody would most certainly take over that heart within a mere second. The world though, is another thing. If Xemnas is using Sora's heart, he would wield the Keyblade, and with the Keyblade, he would be able to destroy as many Heartless as he pleased and build a new Kingdom Hearts. With it, he would build his world just like the World That Never Was." Axel explained. "Have it memorized?"

"But how would Xemnas get Sora's heart?" Riku asked.

"That, I am sad to say, is not for me to tell you about. Maybe you should be listening to Scalvatrx too, but I can't take you there, for it was not me who made that dark portal, but Scalvatrx." Axel sighed.

"But we saw you summon it." Riku objected.

"It was just a signal, Riku." Axel explained. "Got it?"

"Yeah, but tell me Axel, how do you know Scalvatrx, when no one else does?"

Sora looked around him, but could only see darkness on every side. Was he in the Dark Realm? But why would Axel send him here? "Is anyone there?" he called, his voice echoing through the eternal darkness.

"I am." came a familiar voice.

"Scalvatrx?" Sora called uncertainly. Through the darkness, he spotted movement and saw Scalvatrx remove his hood.

"Axel told to tell you everything, Sora, so listen well." Scalvatrx ordered. "When I was about fifteen, I was play fighting with a friend of mine who is now dead. Anyhow, he was winning when the sword I was fighting with, changed. At first, I could not believe my eyes. In my hand, I held a Keyblade. But is not like the Kingdom Key. It was black and had a blue aura coming off of it. At the very end of it, it was pointed like a real sword. A little while after that, I found myself constantly forgetting things, and the, one morning I wake up with cuts and bruises on me. The strange thing was, was that I was outside, and beside me lay my friend. Blood was caked over a wound to the back of the neck. In my hand, I found my Keyblade with a large blood stain on it."

"After that, I left and never went back. Then, the things about me forgetting everything stopped. The rage that had built up in me since I had killed my friend had grown exponentially after a few years. It was then that I met Axel. I didn't want to befriend him, but I ended up doing so anyway. Well on that very day-I can't give you everything, seeing as I can't remember much-I remember my Keyblade appearing. It was something I hadn't used unless I was in my Dark Form and didn't realize it. Well from Axel's account, my features had changed, you see I had, had black hair, but it turned silver. My eyes, Axel told me, had turned a silver color. Neither knew what happened next because I had knocked Axel out cold."

"But when I was finally able to see again, I remained as I was, but destruction was everywhere. Axel, though, was unharmed besides a few cuts, but none fateful. You see me now as I saw myself that day ten years ago. You may call me an enemy, or an ally, Sora, but be warned, I am neither, nor am I neutral. I can be ally, enemy, and neutral. This is what is going to happen to you unless you find a way to stop it." Scalvatrx finished.

Sora stared in disbelief before saying, "You must have went through hell and back!"

Leon heard someone talking upstairs, but it was not Sora. "Huh?" he whispered to himself. He stood up from where he was sitting, and grabbed his blade. Holding it on his shoulder, he went upstairs, not taking any notice to the following Kairi.

Axel sighed, "I can't give you the whole story, seeing as we are about to have a visitor, you can ask Sora the things I leave out and fill him in on this. But anyway, Scalvatrx was not always his name. I knew him as Arkath. Then the day came, when we met for a meeting about something, I saw the darkness within him. That very night, I discovered he could not change out of his dark form…"

_Arkath lifted his hand, looking at it. There were claws-like fingernails on his hands. He noticed his hair had changed, and for some reason, he found that he was feeling calm with all the death around him. His cool eyes traveled down to Axel, who was just picking himself up. "Uhhh…Arkath?" Axel groaned._

"_Arkath, humph!" Arkath spat. "I know no one of the such. My name is Scalvatrx!"_

_Axel picked himself up, looking at Arkath with a confused look. "What are you talking about?"_

"_You know damn well what I'm talking about. I am who I say I am. Arkath is dead." the newer version of Arkath snarled, a sword appearing in each hand. One was his Flaming Destroyer-Keyblade-and the other a long sword with a blue glow around it. "And so shall you be."_

"_Stop!" Axel cried, his spinning disks appearing in his hands. "Scalvatrx, Arkath, who ever you are, we are friends, are we not?" It was then that it dawned on Axel. Arkath had warned him about a darkness within his heart that would soon consume him. Axel realized that this was the darkness in Arkath's heart._

"_You were a friend of Arkath, not of me. So tell me, Axel, why spare you?" Scalvatrx questioned, his eyes flashing._

"_Get a hold of yourself! You are a Keyblade wielder, not some murderer!" Axel urged his friend to remember who he was._

"_Ah, but I am a murderer, as are you to be." Scalvatrx said. "You may not realize it, but I see it in your eyes, Axel. You're whole life will take a turn that ends up on death road. You don't even exist!" _

"_What are you talking about?" Axel asked, his hands tightening on the disks._

"_You have no heart." Scalvatrx's voice was icy cold, but mockery was plain._

"_I do too have a heart!" Axel snarled, wanting to throw a disk, but his body screamed against it, but his anger fueled it._

"_Not anymore!" Scalvatrx rushed Axel, his Flame Destroyer pointed at Axel's heart._

Axel just finished his half of the story when the door burst open. "Riku!" came Leon's alarmed voice.

"I'd better go." Axel muttered to himself. "But before I do, Riku. Forgive Sora for any mistrust he has towards you. It is not his own, the real Sora, the real Keyblade master you know, is slowing being confined in darkness. You and Kairi both help him, bye."

"No, you're staying!" Riku growled, jumping towards Axel who had formed a dark portal. "You have to explain this to me! How do I help him!"

Axel stepped into the darkness. Riku landed as the wisps of darkness was vanishing. He could not follow. He clenched his teeth together, very aware of the stares from Leon and Kairi on his back. "Why were you speaking with Axel, and where's Sora?" Leon demanded.

"I can't explain right now. Sora's with Scalvatrx, where ever he is." Riku responded bluntly, looking around the room for his friend.

"Is he OK?" Kairi asked anxiously.

"I'm sure he is…but I can't tell you where he is." Riku stated, wondering about Axel and Scalvatrx's past. Arkath had been good, full of light, while Scalvatrx was cruel hearted and full of darkness. Could Arkath still live on within Scalvatrx?

"Riku, what were you talking about?" Kairi's voice cut through his thoughts like a knife, but Riku ignored her still.

_Do not tell them about Organization XIII or my findings, Donald._ That was what King Mickey had told Donald before they had departed. Now Riku realized that they had been left in the dark for a purpose, and Riku did not like it on bit. _But what else could Mickey know?_ Riku wondered, his eyes shadowing over.

"Riku?" Kairi asked, though she was at least two feet in front of him, it sounded like miles off to Riku. This time he listened though, "Huh? What?"

"What were you saying to Axel?" Kairi repeated.

"It's not for you to hear." Riku said, looking towards Kairi, his eyes were a hardened blue, but held a deep fear within.

"Why not?" Kairi asked curiously.

"Because it doesn't concern you!" Riku snapped, throwing out one of his arms, expressing his anger.

Kairi drew back with great hurt. It shone in her eyes and reflected with her body movements. She did not speak or leave though, instead she stared at Riku as if she were looking right through him.

"It is time you returned to your friends Sora." Scalvatrx stated as he summoned up a dark portal.

Sora blinked and looked at Scalvatrx as if he hadn't hard, "You wielded a Keyblade?"

"Yes, the Flame Destroyer, but you must go. And remember this Sora: The light is closer than you would ever imagine." With that Scalvatrx flicked his wrist with his index finger and thumb out, he made the dark portal consume Sora. Sora gasped as he felt the cold clutches of darkness on him and then he found himself sinking in it until he vanished along with the darkness.

When Sora appeared on the other side, he found that he was sitting on the bed, his eyes full of trouble and wonder. He caught sight of Riku who was arguing with Leon and Kairi. They hadn't seemed to notice him.

"I tell you that this is something I have to discuss with Sora alone!" Riku yelled, his eyes narrowed. "Axel told me this was only for Sora to hear!"

"Then why did Axel send me away?" Sora asked from where he sat. Everyone turned to look at him.

Sora caught Kairi's eyes and he noticed that they had softened at the sight of him. He blinked at this, but was unable to hold the gaze and looked away. Then he glanced up at Riku and ordered, "Tell me what he told you Riku."

"You two have to go." Riku instructed to Kairi and Leon.

"But I want to hear too!" Kairi whined. When Riku shook his head, she looked at Sora for help. "Will you let me stay Sora?" she pleaded.

Sora looked at her and then at Riku. Kairi had gone through just as much as they had, she deserved to hear it. His eyes grew cold and he spoke his thoughts, "Kairi should stay, Riku. She deserves the right and you know it Riku!"

"That may be, but you yourself do not even know what I am about to tell you. Some of which, Kairi can hear, but not you. Kairi, go." Riku ordered, his cold blue eyes turning to glare at Leon and Kairi. Leon nodded and left without a word, but there was anger in his eyes. Kairi left reluctantly and went downstairs and outside.


	11. A Villainous Plot

Chapter Eleven: A Villainous Plot

"_That may be, but you yourself do not even know what I am about to tell you. Some of which, Kairi can hear, but not you. Kairi, go." Riku ordered, his cold blue eyes turning to glare at Leon and Kairi. Leon nodded and left without a word, but there was anger in his eyes. Kairi left reluctantly and went downstairs and outside._

Xemnas stood on the rooftop of a house in Hollow Bastion, his orange-red eyes glittering with a new plot. This time he would have his heart. "Saix, we can never trigger anger in Sora's heart, as you know, unless we have something very dear to him. I have an important job for you."

"What is it?" Saix asked from behind Xemnas, his blue hair waving in the wind.

"Go and get that girl we have last time, Kairi. This time she won't escape so easily, because Naming is no longer here. She is in Traverse Town with her friends. Bring her to me once you get her. She and I have to have a little talk." Xemnas ordered.

Saix dipped his head saying, "Yes," Then he left without another word.

Saix appeared in Traverse Town, his black robe billowing in the wind. He could sense the Keyblade bearers near. He followed the power source until he happened upon an apartment. He spotted Kairi sitting outside, a hurt look on her face. She had her Keyblade in hand, and was staring into the shadows.

Saix jumped down from the building he was on and into a dark portal. He fell through it, only to appear in front of Kairi. "It's been a while." Saix smiled as he reached out for her.

"Ah!" Kairi screamed, holding up her Keyblade as a shield.

Axel looked at Scalvatrx and said, "I was unable to finish, Leon and Kairi heard us upstairs."

Scalvatrx blinked and nodded, "Did you tell him about any resentment in Sora's heart? And about Arkath?"

Axel nodded, "I just wished I could have explained why Riku has his dark powers back. I wonder if he even wonders about it himself?" Axel was sitting on the edge of a building in Hollow Bastion. Scalvatrx was standing, his arms crossed. His silver hair was blowing in the wind. The moonlight struck the small town, providing little light and a lot of shadow.

"I'm very sure he does, but Sora does not seem to realize what danger he is to his friends. I haven't the slightest clue why he attacks Riku and Riku only, but it might be because Riku's heart was taken by the darkness. It is the only thing I can figure out. Sora's Dark Form sees Riku as a threat." Scalvatrx, for the first time, was confused and was thinking hard for an answer.

Axel looked up from where he was and dared ask, "Why did you kill your friend, Arkath?"

Scalvatrx cast him a rageful glare before responding, "Even you aren't that stupid. I told you we were sword-fighting when it happened. My dark side saw Akira as a threat and so I killed him. And don't ever call me Arkath again. That is not my name, Axel."

"But it was. It was _your_ true name! Do you not remember?" Axel asked, he was trying for the fifth time since he had met Scalvatrx. "You aren't like me, a person with no heart. You have a heart, you have feeling, but you choose to pretend you feel nothing! Arkath, you must fight the darkness in your heart. You can't hide forever!"

"Silence!" Scalvarx roared, his long-as-heck sword appearing in his hand. He pointed it at Axel and snarled, "I am not to tell you again, Axel. I am Scalvatrx forever, you can not bring me back from where I am now! We will not let Sora end up like me, do not try to make me fight someone who never was or is!"

Axel drew back from the sword, his hands clutching the edge very tightly as he hung on, the tip of the blade just inches from his face. "Alright, alright!"

"Get away from me!" Kairi yelled at Saix as his hand drew closer. She hit his arm where it connects with her Keyblade. Saix flinched in pain and grabbed her with his other arm, summoning a dark portal. He flung Kairi into it just as Leon burst out of the door, sword in hand.

"What's going on-Saix!" Leon yelled.

Saix grinned as the dark portal began to close behind him. He did not step into it, instead he said, "Tell Sora I said I'll be waiting."

Saix stepped into the dark portal just as it closed. Leon stood there, his eyes narrowed in fury, his sword's tip resting on the ground. He had missed him!

Xemnas heard a portal materailize behind him. He turned to see Kairi fall out and onto the hard concrete roof. She grunted as she tried to stop her fall, but didn't succeed. He walked towards her just as Saix stepped out. He moved out of the way knowingly.

"Hello, Kairi. Do you know why I brought you here?" Xemnas asked, bending over her.

Kairi lifted her head, growling, "Shut up you loathsome, heartless fool!" She had dared say it.

Xemnas continued to grin evilly at her as he said, "I brought you here so I could steal Sora's heart. With it, I will be able to wield the Keyblade. And create my perfect world."

Kairi gasped and drew back away from Xemnas, "What?" she yelled in shock.

"Not expecting it?" Xemnas asked, laughing at Kairi's shock. "And you can't escape this time, you know why? Because Namine is not here to help you this time, nor is Riku."

"Kairi!" Sora yelled in distress as Leon told Riku and him what had happened.

"Oh no…!" Riku breathed. He put his hand to his eyes, shaking his head. "Oh no!" he whispered again. This was the Organization's plan. This as sure to bring Sora right to them, and Riku couldn't tell Sora only because Sora wouldn't care. He raised his head to see Leon holding Sora's collar as he struggled to get to the door.

"Let…me…go!" he snarled at Leon, his eyes flashing with rage and determination.

"Sora! Calm down! We'll find her, I promise, but we need to rest, it's nearly two o'clock in the morning!" Riku said, rushing forward and shoving Sora backwards.

"You! You just want to leave her there like you did us before?" Sora challenaged.

This time there was no hesitation left in Riku. He knew who had spoken this time. His Dark Keyblade appeared in his hand, and within a flash, he struck Sora in the side of the head. There was a loud gasp from Sora as he hit the floor. "Shut up!" Riku snarled, his Keyblade vanishing.

"Way to hit someone." Leon commented. "Here, I'll help you carry him upstairs."

When Riku awoke the next morning, he hurried downstairs, his mind swarming with the thoughts of yesterday. He needed, no he had to know if Saix had said something else to Kairi or Leon. Riku just knew there was something, because it was bothering him, and it had haunted his dreams. Racing down the steps, he bumped into Leon who was sipping some coffee.

"I see you're awake. Well we'll set off for Hollow Bastion when Sora awakes." Leon said, lowering his cup.

"Leon, can you tell me if Saix said anything to you, or Kairi, if you heard it?" Riku asked urgently.

"Why the rush?" Leon asked, taking another sip as he waited for an answer.

Riku was hesitant to answer him, but finally replied, "It's just been bothering me ever since last night, that's all. Are you sure you told us everything?"

"Well…" Leon said, sitting his coffee cup down, he spoke, "I don't think it's important, but I guess I should have told you. Anyway Saix said that to tell Sora he'd be waiting."

"Damn!" Riku swore louding. "Axel was right!"

"What? Do you mean I should have told you this?" Leon asked, his voice flooding with fear.

"Yeah, but we couldn't have done anything last night even if we had wanted too. We don't know where the Organization is at the moment." Riku muttered. "But we can't let Sora out of our sight, Leon."

Just as Riku finished speaking, there was loud crack upstairs. He heard shattering glass. Leon and Riku glanced at one another, guessing what had happened, and hurried up the steps. Riku flung the door open just as Sora leapt out of the window. "Sora!" Riku shouted, diving for his friend.

His finger tips touched Sora' sleeve, but he was unable to take hold. Baring his teeth, he yelled, "Sora! Stop, you're heading to your death!"

Sora, who wa snow on the ground, turned around with a look of pure rage and detemination, "I don't care about me, I only care for Kairi's life, and you can't stop me!"

Riku hesitated in following his friend because of the remark, but he would not let Sora leave, it was too dangerous. Sora didn't understand why the Organization XIII had taken Kairi, but Riku did, and now he had to deminish Xemnas's plan before it began.

Leaping after Sora, he heard Leon call, "I'm coming too!"

Riku didn't reply as he hit the ground, and stood up with ease. He quickly dashed after Sora, summoning a dark portal. He appeared five feet in front of Sora within a split of a second. Sora didn't have time to stop running and crashed into Riku. Riku quickly grabbed Sora's sleeve and snarled, "Don't do this! I'm not going losing another friend!"

Sora gave him a look of hate before replying sharply, "How do you know I'm going to die, Riku? Besides, you'll lose Kairi if we're not quick!"

Riku glared at Sora as Leon came up from behind Sora. "Kairi's going to be fine, I can tell you that, and Axel explained things to me that I can't share with you-at least not yet."

"How can you be so sure Kairi's OK? And what kind of friend are you, keeping something like this from me?"

That one stung, but Riku didn't show the hurt. "Sora! Snap out of it! I know this isn't my friend speaking, the Sora I knew trusted me even though what I did was wrong. And you know I only went with the Organization because I had wanted to save you, but that seems foolish to have let the darkness in. Now you have to stop it Sora!"

Xemnas was in an underground city right under Hollow Bastion. He was now on the tallest tower of his newly created castle. The walls surrounding him were streak with black over white. The black crept up the walls like thorns. On the farthest wall to the door, Kairi lay with her head resting on her shoulder. She was sleeping, and Xemnas could tell it was a restless and uneasy sleep.

Looking out the large window, he looked over his city of darkness, and knew the time was coming when he could reveal his massive creation. When he obtained the Keyblade, he would kill swams of Heartless and create a new Kingdom Hearts. That was his plan, and then he could have his true heart back. That was when he could truly be the person he had been before.

Xemnas turned away from his city, heading towards the door. He stepped right through the electric blue surrounding the entrance and into the hallway. Xemnas then headed for the stairs and climbed down them, reaching a room with a metal door on it with the symbol of water.

He slid the door open to reveal Demyx practicing with his water techniquies. He had a new weapon, a long flat blade with a black and red handle. In the middle of the flat stone gray blade was the scratch markings of a water dropplet.

The pools of water vanished as Demyx looked up from where he was standing. He saw Xemnas and dipped his head respectfully, "I am nearly done with my training, sir."

Xemnas lifted one hand, fiddling with his fingers, "But do you have the courage to fight?" Xemnas asked this because last time Demyx had been told to fight, he had been reluctant. He wasn't very skilled then, and ended up falling under Sora's Keyblade.

"I believe I am." Demyx said, blinking. He pushed a lock of hair back, and looked at Xemnas with hard eyes. Xemnas saw the will that had not been there before and knew that this new Demyx would fight for him without complaint.

"Good, you are to be prepared for the upcoming battle. I hope it will be soon." Xemnas ordered.

"As do I," was Demyx's reply. Xemnas left without another word, shutting the door behin dhim.

He headed further down until he reached where Saix was speaking with Luxord. "You two," he said, interrupting their conversation, "go outside and into Hollow Bastion. I want to find out what the Restoration Committee is doing. And when Sora and his friends will be arriving."

Saix and Luxord nodded. Luxord stood and said, "How do you suppose we listen in?" he asked his boss.

Xemnas barley even glanced at Luxord before replying, "Saix will help you." With that, he left once more without so much as another command or glance at his followers and went further down to Xigbar and the rest.

Before he reached them, he saw something outside one of the thin-glassed windows. Xemnas stepped over to it as he saw a figure racing through his city. Fire was following behind the man as he ran, destroying the Shadows and Nobodies. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Axel, spying on us!" he muttered to himself. He continue dhis search for the rest of the Organization XIII.

He found them in the hall, all of them were wearing scowls, but their expressions changed as they saw Xemnas. Xemnas didn't have a calm look on his face as he had minutes before, instead it was an angry face, "All of you, I want you to find Axel and kill him."


	12. Hollow Bastion

Chapter Tweleve: Hollow Bastion

_He found them in the hall, all of them were wearing scowls, but their expressions changed as they saw Xemnas. Xemnas didn't have a calm look on his face as he had minutes before, instead it was an angry face, "All of you, I want you to find Axel and kill him."_

Sora glared at Riku, his blue eyes flashing. Didn't Riku understand that Kairi was in troubkle? Did he even care? "Just shut up, Riku. I have to find Kairi and I'm not going to let you stop me!"

Riku tensed and argued, "You don't even know where she is. You've waited before Sora, so you can wait one more time. Leon wants to take us to Hollow Bastion with everyone else, we can look for her there, but you can't just get up and leave."

Leon stepped up and rested a hand on Sora's shoulder, "Sora, you found her before, twice infact, you'll find her again, but you're too inexperianced at the moment. Come on, let's go to Hollow Bastion." Leon was calm and he tried to comfort Sora.

Slowly, Sora begn to relax and finally nodded. With that settled, Leon and the others headed back to the apartment.

Kairi's eyes opened slightly. She saw an unfimilar room around her and her eyes flew open. Where was she? She then remember Xemnas was around here somewhere. Blinking, she stood up, wondering if she could warn Sora in any way possible. She picked herself up, feeling very stiff. She wasn't very sure how she had gotten here, or when she had, but she would not be the bait again!

Kairi saw that Xemnas was no where to be seen and quietly walked over to the door. It was nothing more than a ray of light, but when she touched it, Kairi immediantly drew back. Electricity shot out from the blue ray and shocxked her hand. "Ouch!" she muttered to herself.

"Now what?" she questioned herself, walking over to the window. She looked down and gasped at the sight. The city was masked in darkness and streets lights and bulidings were the only thing that lit the city up. She could see Shadows and Nobodies crowding the whole city.

She could just make out a few dark figures racing along the streets. She craned her head over about an inch and saw what they were running for. She saw a hooded figure running about ten feet in front of them. The figure carries red disks. Kairi knew that it was Axel. He was in trouble!

The Roganization XIII members were catching up to Axel quickly. Kairi pressed her hands against the thin glass, hoping Axel could escape. Just when they were about to run him into an alley, Kairi saw another figure appear in front of Axel.

Axel ran past the other hooed figure and towards the wall. Kairi could have sworn he said something before vanishing. The other figure held out a hand and there was a flash of light before a long, thin blade appeaered. The handle was silver and the metal were the blade hooked with the hilt, was swirled, sticking out. The figure raised the sword and with his free hand, ordered the Organization XIII to leave.

Kairi guessed that it was Scalvatrx, helping Axel. When the Organization XIII didn't listen and attacked Scalvatrx, a new blade appeared in his hand. Kairi was surprised to see it was a Keyblade, similar to the one Sora carried when he was in his Dark Form.

The Organization members halted, and their own weapons appeared. She could see Xaldin's blade-like spears swirling in the air as they struck out at Scalvatrx, but Scalvatrx deflected them before following Axel into the dark portal.

"Do you like my city, Kairi?" came Xemnas's hollow voice.

Kairi spun around, anger flaring within her, "You'll never hurt Sora!" she snarled.

Xemnas cast her an uncaring glance before responding with a smile, "That just proves how little you really know, Kairi."

Saix and Luxord were near Merlin's house, speaking quietly. "How do you suppose we get close enough without them detecting us?" Luxord asked Saix quietly.

"Simple, all we have to do is one of us goes on the roof, while the other goes over to a side window, and slides it open. That way we can hear what they're saying."

"Why does one of us have to go the roof?"

"Because one of us will make noise, which will destract them. My guess is that it will bring them outside. Once they're out, the person by the window, will go inside and shut the door, locking it so they can't get in, and access their computer. In doing so, we will be able to steal info from their computer, using this." Saix within a disk from his pocket.

Luxord nodded, "Clever. But one will have to stay behind so when the others eventually break back in, we can get any extra information."

"Exactly, now lets go." Saix ordered, rushing over to the house, "Luxord, you're on the roof."

Riku summoned a dark poratl for everyone to go through so they could reach Hollow Bastion. Sora was the first to go through, then Leon. Riku was the last. Stepping through the dark portal, he didn't look behind him, and if he had, he would have saw Demyx standing there, he should over his shoulder. Demyx was smiling as he vanished into his own dark portal, ready to tell Xemnas that Riku, Sora, amd Leon were coming.

Riku reached the other end of the dark portal and found the others standing in the middle of the Bailey. Sora turned around, a grin on his face, "Not very accurate are we?"

Riku smiled, knowing that this was Sora, his old friend, not the darkness, but the light. "Guess not, but I'm just glad I have my powers back."

"Why do you have them back anyway? You lost them when you turned back into yourself." Sora asked.

Leon gave no time for the others to speak as he said, "No time to chat, come on, the others are waiting."

Saix watched as Luxord hit the roof was his weapon. He heard the crack in the roof as Luxord threw Saix his weapon back. Saix hid on the side of the house next to the alley. He glanced inside the window and saw that everyone was coming outside to see what had happened. Luxord quickly hopped down and on the other side where they couldn't see him.

That was Saix' cue, he busted the window with his fist and leapt inside, quickly runing to lam the door. He latched it and ran over to the computer. He shoved the disk in and quickly doawloaded as much data as possible. He heard banging on the door and loud shouts. He turned to look just as Yuffie's figure caught his eye at the busted window. Saix grunted as he looked back at the computer. 85 complete.

"Organization XIII!" Yuffie gasped as she began to climb through the window.

"I don't think so," Saix said, raising his weapon and sending a shockwave through the air straight at Yuffie. Yuffie was forced back and jumped away just as the blast broke off the rest of the shards of hanging glass.

Saix looked back at the computer. 98 complete. He heard Yuffie yell something towards one of the others. Saix turned around to the door just as Merlin busted it down with magic. "100 complete." Came the computer's voice. Saix ejected the disk and waved, "Thanks for your time." Then he vanished into a dark portal.

Meanwhile Luxord was watching down below as Merlin yelled, "The Organization took our data!"

"This is not good…" Yuffie muttered.

Tifa sighed, "Leon just had to leave, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but who else would we send to find Sora?" Yuffie sighed, going over to the computer. She sat down in the chair and began searching foor ll the files that Saix had obtained.

She clicked on one, recongizing it.

_City Protection System_

_Upgraded to 10 more power._

_Traces of Heartless-501.78_

_Heartless Destroyed-0_

_Enmies located at-&$#_

_Control System-On/Off-Off_"

"Oh man!" Yuffie groaned, "Merlin, come over here. Look at this! The system's turned off and the place where all of the Heartless are located at, is curupted!"

"What? How many Heartless, wht is the percentage?" Merlin asked, walking over. "Oh no! 501.78! Did you turn the system off?" Merlin demanded to Yuffie.

"No! It was like this when I opened the file!" Yuffie swore.

"Open another file," Merlin commanded.

Yuffie did so. This was a message from Leon

_Yuffie, Merlin, Tifa,_

_I've found them and I plan to leave tommrow at dawn. I have some bad news though, Sora, he has a dark side to him now. For some strange reason that no one can figure out, he has, everytime he became like this, attacked Riku. We have discovered he wields a new Keyblade in this state._

_The Keyblade is powerful, you can tell just by looking at it. It was Kairi who stopped Sora from killing Riku. I am not sure how, but she did. The reason we figure he became like this, turning into his Dark Form at this time, I mean, is because of Scalvatrx._

_I've never heard of Scalvatrx, but it seems that Scalvatrx ticked Sora off. _

_Just moments ago, Kairi and I discovered Riku speaking with Axel. Neither of us saw Sora anywhere, and we never knew what Axel and Riku were discussing because Axel left, but Riku tried to stop him and failed. When Sora appeared, he was curious about what Axel had told Riku and seemed rather upset._

_Riku forced Kairi and I to leave, and now I am waiting for them to finish talking. Kairi is outside at the moment practicing with her Keyblade._

Yuffie noticed nothing was wrong with this message and continued to scroll down. All at once she came to another, newer message from leon, this one was messed up so badly, Yuffie could barley read it.

_Oh 9n! #& h#s Kairi! So& is ve#y _a#r&_ w!h us for &ot le#$$# him go and se$a&& for her. Ke&p your $$$$ open fo any sign of Org!iz&tion XIII!_

"Merlin, can you read this?" Yuffie asked, she understood pieces of it, but the rest was gibberish.

"I think it says, 'Oh man! Blnk has Kairi. Sora is very blank with us for not letting him go and hmm…ah, search for her. Kepp your blank open for any sign of Organization XIII.' That's all I can read." Merlin said.

Sora was racing towards Merlin's house with Riku and Leon behind him. As he neared it, he spotted a fimilar person. Luxord was standing outside the window, looking in, but he turned around at the sound of foot steps. "Luxord!" Sora yelled, "Where's Kairi?"

Luxord grinned, "I didn't expect you so soon."

Riku raced in front of Sora, his Keyblade appearing, "What have you done with Kairi?" he demanded, his voice harsh with anger.

"You really shouldn't be worrying about her. If you must know where she is, she's with Xemnas, but you have to figure the rest out yourself." With that Luxord vanished, leaving Sora, Riku, and Leon with questions and anger.

Suddenly the door to Merlin's house burst open as Yuffie came out with her own blades. She saw Sora, Riku, and Leon standing there, but no one else. She relaxed and said, "It's only you."

Leon, who had noticed the broken window, asked, "What happened?"

"Oh yeah? Well how do you know that when you take my friend's heart, that you won't obtain the dark side of him as well?" Kairi spat.

Xemnas looked at her and laughed, "Silly girl. Haven't you realized it yet? I'm the one who created the darkness in Sora's heart. The closer he comes to us, the more powerful and more common his Dark Form becomes. Eventually, the darkness will steal his heart from him, and that is when it is mine."

"Why do you act like this? I'm sure you were different before, wasn't Xanenort kind, any in the least?" Kairi's voice had become wondering and prickled with sorrow.

Xemnas moved away from her and said without looking at her, "I don't remember."

"Then try!"

"Why do you care for me? I do not waant to remember, and if you keep this up, I will be sure that you are not safe here." Xemnas growled.

"What!" Kairi gsped, pulling herself backwards in fear.

"Organization XIII paid us a little visit." Yuffie explained.


	13. Destructor

Chapter Thirteen: Destructor

"_Organization XIII paid us a little visit." Yuffie explained._

"I kind of figured that. Luxord was just here." Riku responded. "What were they doing here?"

Riku turned to look at Sora who had remained silent. His eyes were downcast and he as staring at the ground. Anger and sorrow clouded his eyes. Riku knew how hard it was for Sora. He had lost Kairi twice, not knowing where she was or if she was OK, and yet Riku knew the whole time, but never told because he hadn't been himself at the time.

"They stole some computer data. Oh yeah, Leon, we need your help with one of the messages you sent us, and with our secrity system." Yuffie turned around and headed back inside. Leon followed.

Riku hadn't turned around and asked Sora, "You coming?"

"She's close by, Riku." Sora muttered.

"Huh?" Riku asked, confused.

"Kairi's close, I can sense her." Sora explained, looking up. "And you promised I could look for her, and that's what I plan to do!"

Sora turned away from Riku and began to run away from him and back towards the Bailey. He could feel Kairi's fear. Sora heard Riku call him back, but he did not listen. There was no way he would let Riku stop him from rescuing Kairi this time, not on his life! He turned and raced up the stairs and headed towards the entrance.

Riku was racing after Sora, his foot steps matching Sora's pace, but he could not catch up. "Sora! Stop, please don't go!"

Sora shook his head as he ran, unable to reply. He felt the same sensation he had felt last time. But this time it was much stronger. He felt his body go numb and he slowly began to stop. Sora's whole being screamed against it, but his Dark Form ignored it all. It enveloped him as he tried to fight it, but his fight was usless.

He kept seeing flashes of Kairi in his mind as they darkness enveloped him. He came to a complete halt, and so did Riku from a distance.

Sora's eyes slowly changed color. They went from blue to a cloudy yellow-mixed color, making them bright. His fingernails turned to claws and his heart became dark. His dark Keyblade appeared in his hand and he turned around to face Riku, his eyes slits.

Riku's Dark Keyblade appeared in his hand as he saw Sora's look. He backed away carefully. "Riku…" Sora's voice was harsh as the word escaped his lips. "Are you prepared for death?"

"You're not killing me!" Riku snarled, raising his Keyblade using both ahnds, he took battle stance.

"Guess again," Sora dashed forward, his own Keyblade held out with both hands, sideways. "My Destructor and I have our share of murderous thoughts towards you, you know."

"Your friend, Riku, the traitor, is about to die if you must know." Xemnas stated, turning around to look at Kairi, his black robes swishing on the marble floor.

"What? How? Why?" Kairi gasped, leaning towards Xemnas with shock and fear for her friend's life.

Xemnas smiled and laughed, "Trust Sora all you want, but you can't stop him from killing Riku. And when that happens…Well you know." Xemnas grinned and then laughed as Kairi fell to the ground, feeling useless.

"Please, don't let Riku die. Please!" Kairi begged Xemnas. She was on her handds and kness begging Xemnas, crying now. There was doubt in her mind Xemnas would not lie about his plans, because he'd be trickign himself. This was for real, Sora was in his Dark Form about to kill Riku.

Xemnas glanced down at her and spoke, "You can shut up any moment now. I'm not helping Riku because it will stop my plan."

"Please!" Kairi begged, "Even you can't be that creul!"

"I'm sorry, but I can." Xemnas stated, turning away from Kairi who was staring at the ground, sobbing.

With Xemnas's back turned, Kairi looked up and looked out the window. Just as her eyes caught sight of all the darkness, she saw a pale figure standing on the white and black floor. Beside the pale figure, wa sanother figure, both were ghost-like and Kairi could see through them.

"Namine…Roxas!" Kairi whispered, her voice choked.

"We can help you out of here Kairi. We won't stand for Xemnas to let Riku die. You are the only one who can stop Sora now, Kairi." Roxas said.

Xemnas turned around, "What?" he snarled, seeing only Kairi there. He was stepping towards her when he came to an invisble barrier.

Sora struck out at Riku with his blade, by Riku deflected it and retaliated with a powerful blow to the side. Sora nimbly dodged it and rushed back in, swinging his sword one way, then another. Riku jumped out of range and pointed his sword at Sora and used his Dark Aura. The blasts hit Sora, throwing him back and forcing him to stop for a second.

When Sora looked back up at Riku, he lifted his Destructor to level it with Riku and growled, "Prepare to die!" a blast of dark energy shot from the Destructor, like his fire magic, but it encircled Riku, almost like Xemnas's laser shot. The circles of dark energy shot towards Riku, hitting him from all directions.

"Uh!" Riku grunted as he tried to escape, but was unable to until it was over. He bent over for breath and looked back up to find that Sora wasn't there. Quick as lightning, he raised his hand and yelled, "Dark Shield!" A flash of purple and black appeared in over Riku, blocking Sora's attack.

Riku turned from Sora and rushed towards Merlin's house, fleeing from Sora's power. It would be the end of him before long! He gripped the edge of the stone wall and leapt down it, landing on the steps below.

"Running away?" Sora said, leaping in front of Riku. "I don't think so." The Destructor slammed into Riku, knocking him into the wall. He gasped at the impact as the breath was stolen from him.

Riku lifted his Way to Dawn up and whispered, "Forgive me, Sora." Riku rushed Sora and swung out with such furiousity, that the blow smashed into Sor's shoulder. There was a crack and then Sora stumbled backwards. For once, Riku noticed, the Dark Sora actually felt the pain that was given to him.

The Destructer fell to the stone steps and clattered down them as Sora looked at his disfigured shoulder. Riku knew that he had just dislocated it. Putting it back in place would hurt, but Riku had done what he had to to save himself, and his friend.

Just as Riku thought it was over, Sora looked at him. His eyes were not clouded, but clear. Riku now saw the true depths of Sora's anger and despite his wound, Sora easily put it back in place without even a flinch. "It's not over."


	14. The True Light of Sora

Chapter Fourteen: The True Light of Sora

_The Destructer fell to the stone steps and clattered down them as Sora looked at his disfigured shoulder. Riku knew that he had just dislocated it. Putting it back in place would hurt, but Riku had done what he had to to save himself, and his friend._

_Just as Riku thought it was over, Sora looked at him. His eyes were not clouded, but clear. Riku now saw the true depths of Sora's anger and despite his wound, Sora easily put it back in place without even a flinch. "It's not over."_

Kairi stepped towards Namine's streached out hand. She slowly excepted it and a bright light formed between them. It was then that Xemnas saw Roxas and Namine standing there. "Impossible!" he gasped, trying to force his way through the barrier, but it was futile.

"Come on, Kairi, we're going to see Sora." Namine said.

"Riku's not finished yet, he's strong." Roxas said confidently as they stepped into a dark portal made by Namine.

Riku gasped and raised his sword, ready to fight, but Sora's Destructor appeared in his hand. "Time to die." Sora's words were cold and heartless. He raised his sword and brought it down.

Kairi saw the other end and raced for the exit.

The blade was coming closer and closer….

Riku didn't have time to deflect it, and knew it would all end within seconds. As rthe thought flashed across his mind, he heard a fimilar voice, "Stop!" the voice screamed.

Riku blinked and saw Kairi standing behind Sora, she had a hand raised at him, a scowl on her face. Riku could tell that she had been crying because the tears were still running down her face. He noticed Sora had stopped and was now staring blankly at Riku, his eyes black. Riku moved out of the way just in time as Sora dropped the Destructor and it once more crashed into the stone stairs, but this time it vanished.

Sora seemed to come back to life and stumbled forward, coughing. Kairi came forward as Sora became himself again and asked, "Are you alright? Is he alright?" Kairi asked.

"I'm fine, and I think he will be." Riku said, but it wasn't the truth. The blow to his side and the bump on his head hurt, but his side hurt more. He had hit his head when he had collided with the wall. "Are you alright?"

"I am now. But Xemnas! He's-" Kairi was cut off as she heard the wisping sounds of a dark portal appearing behind her.

"Who said you could leave?" Xemnas's voice rang through Kairi's ears.

She spun around to look behind her and gasped, "Xemnas!"

"Who'd you expect?" Xemnas growled, his orange red eyes flashing.

Riku stepped in front of Kairi with his hand thrown out in front of him, pushing Kairi back. "Leave her alone Xemnas!"

Xemnas looked at Riku with a calm, yet mocking facial expression, "Ah yes, Riku. You used to not even try to defend your friends, so why now? Why did you give up the darkness?"

"Shut up!" Riku snarled, but he flinched as pain lacd through his body as he became stressed. "If you want Kairi, you'll have to fight me!"

"You're in no codition to fight, Riku." Xemnas taunted. "Look at yourself, you think you can do everything on your own, like me, but you're nothing more than a weak pest in my way. You should have died, but you refused it."

Riku's hand fell to his side, his ocean blue eyes narrowed as he lifted his other hand with the Keyblade in it. He gripped it with both hands and prepared to swing it at Xemnas, but xemnas vanished in the darkness and suddenly reappeared in front of Sora. Riku and Kairi both spun around to see Xemnas raise his fist and hit Sora in the jaw, causing Sora's head to twist.

Sora looked back at Xemnas, and saw who it was. His eyes flashed a silver color before he snarled, "You took Kairi!"

Xemnas smirked, but didn't speak, instead he summoned his own sword. "Let the darkness consume you, Sora." Xemnas siad before slamming his sword's blunt, flat side into Sora's elbow and knocking him slightly. Xemnas hadn't hurt him, but he was about to when the Destructor appeared with Sora as he was now.

"Kairi! Don't let this happen to Sora! You're his only hope!" Namine's voice rang through kairi's ears, but she could not find her.

"You are Sora's light, without you, darkness would fill his world, you have to help him stop it!" Roxas appeared in front of her. His deep blue eyes reflected the urgancy that his spirit felt. He turned to look at Sora who had a black swirling darknnes around his right hand.

Kairi nodded, and asked, "But how?"

"You will have to figure that out yourself. It is impossible to explain, for it is different for everyone." Namine explained before Roxas and their voices faded completely.

Sora glanced down at his hand and saw the Destructor, but it was not the darkness that had summoned it. His whole being had summoned it and he planned to use it for his friends' safety.

His eyes met Xemnas's cold ones and he muttered, "You have ruined my life and everyone elses, and now it is your time to die!"

Xemnas blinked and said, "I think you have that the other way around." With one fluid-like movement, Xemnas twisted his sword in his hanmd and jabbed it at Sora. The point of the blade tore into Sora's stomach, and Xemnas pushed it in further.

Sora made a gagging sound, and his eyes clouded. He could hear fast approaching foot steps, but he could not see who it was. He heard a distant voice yelling his name. Sora blinked and asked, "Kairi?…"

All at once his vision cleared and he could see again, but this time, he felt no pain of the blade. Sora found himself falling to the ground, hot liquid pouring down his clothes, but was it for real? "Is this all real?" he muttered to himself as he extended his hand to grasp something, but he only got air. His eyes caught sight of Xemnas's face. That was when it came to him, through everything, he remembered.

Xemnas could sense the growing darkness in Sora. He had complete part one of his plan, becauyse soon, Sora would lose his heart from the bulit up rage and the stab. He looked down at where Sora was laying, staring blankly up at the sky. Kairi, who had reached him, dropped to the ground, her face held the fear that she had known was coming. "Sora…please don't give up."

"Xemnas…" Riku snarled from a few feet off.

Xemnas looked up at the nineteen year old and saw that Riku's Keyblade was in his hand. He didn't show the injuries, or pain he really felt and Xemnas sensed that Riku was going to fight him at all costs. But he wouldn't let that happen, not while he was so close.

"Are you mad that I have destroyed the light in your friend?" Xemnas asked mocking Riku's anger and Sora's pupose.

"You'll pay dearly for what you have done," Riku swore.

"I'm afraid your too late to save him," Xemnas stated bluntly, looking down at Kairi. "Sora's heart now belongs to me."

Xemnas held out his hand at a flash of white light came from where Sora was and then his heart floated in the air. It came towards Xemnas's held out hand and Xemnas's fingers closed on it. It vanished as quick as it had come.

Xemnas felt a sudden rush of rage corse through his veins, like liquid fire. Everything dark in him stirred and rose. Xemnas felt unimaginable power flood through him, and then, with his still held out hand, a Keyblade appeared in his hand. It was not just any Keyblade either, it was the Kingdom Key. In his other hand, the Destructor lay.

* * *

Sorry guys! If you want more, I want five reviews! 5 isn't much compared to how many i have on 'Kagome Turned Demon' so if you guys want the REALLY good part, I want 5 reveiws for five chapters! LET THE WAR BE ON! LOL-tell me-should I bring Cloud into the picture? I'm going to, but tell me when! AND I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CLOUD FIGHTS SEPHIROTH! I AHVE NOT BEATEN SEPHIROTH YET BECAUSE I'M ONLY A LEVER 59! IF I GET AN ANSWER, I CAN MAKE THINGS _**REALLY**_ INTERESTING!


	15. Figuring Things Out

Chapter Fifteen: Figuring Things Out

_Xemnas felt a sudden rush of rage course through his veins, like liquid fire. Everything dark in him stirred and rose. Xemnas felt unimaginable power flood through him, and then, with his still held out hand, a Keyblade appeared in his hand. It was not just any Keyblade either, it was the Kingdom Key. In his other hand, the Destructor lay._

Riku blinked and froze with horror. Sora was gone and Xemnas's plan was all coming together. Fear flooded through him, but the rage that fueled his strength burned on, giving him determination. He would help Sora return back to himself, there was no way he would give up. Sora had risked his life for him, and now Riku was going to repay him.

He lifted his Dark Keyblade and looked at it. This Keyblade unlocked hearts. He would use it to save Sora, but now was not the time. He had Kairi had to leave before they were killed. "Kairi, come over here." Riku ordered.

Kairi didn't look up at him.

Riku stepped forward, and with that one movement, he suddenly realized how badly he was hurt, but he would be just fine. He was about to reached Kairi when, all at once, he felt a pain sear through his shoulder. He turned to look and saw that Xemnas was standing beside him, while another Xemnas was still standing over Sora.

Riku knew what had happened. Xemnas had multiplied himself! Riku noticed the weapons that this fake Xemnas carried were the light sabers. Riku raised his Keyblade, prepared to fight, but he wasn't fast enough. All at once he was hit in the stomach and shoved back while the other laser slung him up into the air.

There he was virtually helpless and the fake Xemnas seemed to realize it. Riku felt one of the sabers crash into his back, making him grunt as he fell back down, but he landed on his feet, knees bent and one arm catching himself. He stood up and raised his Keyblade, but found that this Xemnas was much powerful than the last time they had fought.

He jumped away from the attacks and headed back towards Kairi, limping slightly, he grabbed her shoulder and made a dark portal. He closed it around them and transported them to Twilight Town.

When he reached the other side, he let go of Kairi and bent over, trying to catch his breath. His whole body ached and he wanted to sit down somewhere and rest, but he had been to rushed to plan where they were going and ended up in the middle of the Sandlot.

And if things couldn't get worse, Seifer just had to step up, not even caring about Riku's injuries, snapped, "I thought I told you guys to get out of my town!"

Riku wished so badly that he just beat the guy into a bloody pulp, but he was too beat up for it. "Kairi…Go find Pence, Olette, and Hayner." Riku managed, ignoring Seifer for the present time.

Kairi turned to look at Riku for the first time and saw the cuts and the blood on him from where, in that little amount of time, Xemnas had beat on him and added to the injuries caused by the Destructor. She gasped, "Riku! You look worse than last time!" Kairi gasped.

"I feel worse than last time…" Riku said, dropping to the ground, unable to stand any longer. "Go find the others."

Kairi nodded turned away from Riku and headed towards the Usual Spot in the back alley. Seifer decided the step up again, but a scowl was planted on his face, "Why do you keep coming around, bringing trouble with you?"

Riku looked up at Seifer, "If you know what's good for you, then shut your mouth!"

"Riku, you don't need to waste your strength on him." Riku looked up and saw a familiar face standing in front of him. Roxas was holding out a hand for Riku.

Saix put the disk into a computer in the underground castle. It was Xemnas's computer that Xemnas had used to screw up the security system. Saix opened one of the files and found something very interesting.

_**The first signs of the Heartless returning came up about two days ago. We're not sure if they're really there, but we have tried to contact Sora many times, but we never get any responses. Leon believes that someone is interfering with our connection. **_

_**We have contacted King Mickey and explained the sighting of a Shadow creeping about, but when Tifa first caught sight of it, it vanished. None of us know if it was her imagination or what because not one of us have seen one since. Also Cloud has gone without telling anybody, but no one can guess where. He had left without a word, we think he left when Tifa reported the sighting, but we are not certain.**_

_**Merlin believes that Cloud has gone so he can begin practicing some more, but Tifa believes that he's a greater fighter than he looks. **_

_**NEXT DAY**_

_**We have finally reached some sort of contact with someone. We discovered late last night who was disrupting the messages we send to Sora. He calls himself Scalvatrx, but no one seems to have a clue to who he is. **_

_**He had sent us a message with a different computer. He didn't seem very kind either. He wrote saying that we should stop trying to contact Sora, or he would destroy the connection completely. I was the one who read it, and responded with a why, but I am still waiting on a reply.**_

_**I have received a response within the hour of 3 o'clock. This man tells me that it is none of my business and that he has already spoke with Sora. I then replied, 'how do you know him?' after this message was sent and received one almost instantly, this is Scalvatrx's exact reply: 'I know him only because I have watched him through the years, even back to the time Riku was possessed by Ansem. I will not give you much, for Sora does not know, and you can not tell him. I do not trust you, or anyone else besides one person you seem to know very well, or Sora does at least.**_

_**It seems that you have never known any other Keyblade wielders besides the King, Riku, and Sora. Kairi seems to have obtained one by Riku. But I will warn you now, that you must keep your guard up, or die, for the enemy is very close.'**_

_**I have no idea what he was talking about, and Leon just happened to see me reading this and came over. He just glanced at it and demanded to know who had sent it. I don't know why he got so worked up about it, but after reading the last message, he told me that Sora had never mentioned anyone by the name Scalvatrx, and Leon had never heard of him. **_

_**We are all dumbfounded, it seems, with him, and Leon asked me to ask who the person was that Scalvatrx and Sora both knew. **_

_**Weeks have past and we did not get a reply and so we continue to send messages without a response, until one finally came in. It was disfigured though and we could barley read it, and when Merlin tried, even he could not dispatch all of it. We only got a 'Go Sora dark warn' that was it, we can't figure anything out and so Leon has left to go find Sora and ask him about Scalvatrx and now we are waiting for his return.**_

Saix closed it out and was about to open another file when he heard Xemnas's voice, "Come, Saix, I have his heart." Xemnas sounded like he was in a good mood, which surprised Saix; Xemnas was never in a good mood.

Axel looked down the wall at where Sora was. He hadn't turned into a Heartless, but Roxas had appeared. Why? "Oh no…" he groaned. "Scalvatrx, now what are we supposed to do?" Axel asked his companion.

"Do what I wish I had done. Let's go find Kairi and Riku. They are the key to bringing Sora back, but first, we must go inform the King." Scalvatrx said, his voice was rough with anger. After they had escaped from Xemnas's underground city, they had come to find this. Xemnas had just teleported back.

"Alright then, let's go." Axel nodded and formed a dark portal.

"You do realize you can't get there that way." Scalvatrx pointed out.

"Well, I am." Axel stated before running into. Scalvatrx sighed and followed.

All at once, Axel and Scalvatrx found themselves I the Throne Room, standing in front of the King. Mickey looked surprised at their appearance and then demanded, "Why have you come, Axel? And who have you brought with you?"

Axel looked at the King and then at Scalvatrx, who nodded. Axel turned back to Mickey and said, "It's about Sora and Xemnas."

"The fool thinks he can take Sora's heart and be able to use the Keyblade." Scalvatrx growled. "How pathetic. But right now we have to know where Kairi and Riku are."

"What do you mean? Sora's lost his heart?" Mickey jumped from his throne. His golden Keyblade appeared in his hand, "Come on, we can help them, but why do you need Riku and Kairi?"

"They're the ones who can help Sora, if anything. I am no use to them." Scalvatrx spat with disgust, his Flame Destroyer appearing.

"Who are you?" Mickey asked questioningly.

"Arkath," Axel was the first to respond. When he said the name, Scalvatrx glanced at him with eyes full of rage, but Axel wasn't done, "can help us."

"Arkath! But he vanished years ago as the last known Keyblade wielder beside Riku, me, and Sora!" Mickey exclaimed.

"My name is Scalvatrx, the wielder of the Flame Destroyer." Scalvatrx growled, holding up his black Keyblade.

"So you really are Arkath!" Mickey said.

"Not anymore, and not to be rude, but _don' t_ call me by that name." Scalvatrx asked in the nicest way he could.

King Mickey just nodded before calling out to Donald and Goofy who were at the end of the hall, standing guard. Donald was the first to respond by dashing forward, Goofy trailing behind him. It took a moment for Donald and Goofy to reach them, but when they did, King Mickey said, "I should have sent you guys out long before, but now we are all going to Twilight Town."

Axel nodded, now he knew where to go. "We can take the easy way." Axel stated. He could guess where Kairi and Riku were. Scalvatrx shot him a glance before nodding and Axel formed a portal. "Okay, let's go."

Riku excepted Roxas's hand and was pulled to his feet. "Thanks Roxas, but how did you get here?"

"Hey don't I know you?" Seifer asked, peering at Roxas with a confused look.

Roxas ignored him as he helped Riku out of the Sandlot just as Pence and Olette came out with Kairi. Hayner wasn't to be found. "Riku!" Olette gasped. "Are you alright?"

Riku grunted a reply as Roxas and he limped towards his friends. "Roxas?" Kairi asked. "Why are you here? How did you get here?"

Roxas, who was wearing his robe that he had gotten from being in Organization XIII, didn't respond to Kairi's questions, instead, he helped Riku head towards the Usual Spot.

Only when Riku was sitting down, able to rest, did Roxas speak to any of them. "Kairi, you should have guessed, though I doubt you'd like to think about it. Riku knew as soon as he saw me. Remember, I'm Sora's Nobody."

"Oh, right…" Kairi said, looking downcast. Suddenly her eyes shot up to look at Riku with anger, "Why did you just leave him there?" she demanded of him.

Riku looked at her, wincing as he turned his head, and replied, "I didn't want to, but I had too. I could barley stand when it happened. Xemnas intended to kill me. Didn't you notice? That's why I'm beat up like I am."

Kairi shook her head, "No, I didn't notice. I'm sorry Riku."

"It's not your fault Kairi. If it's any one's fault, it's mine." Riku said, his voice rough with anger towards himself. "I betrayed you guys and the darkness in Sora's heart still believed I was against him."

"You're wrong Riku. There never had been darkness in Sora's heart. Xemnas put it there, he told me himself." Kairi explained.

"Enough with all of this!" Roxas shouted at them. "First off, Riku, I'm Sora's other half and I know why the darkness always came after you. No matter what anyone said, it wasn't your betrayal. The darkness, it saw you as a threat only because you were a stronger opponent, lucky for you, you never used all of your power. So Sora's Dark Form tried to kill you, and if it had succeeded, much worse things could have happened besides Sora being stabbed and killed like that."

"If you had died, Sora's light would have forced the darkness out of him, which would have made him give up his heart and he would be stuck in eternal darkness. Thanks to you and Kairi, you are able to return his heart when you kill Xemnas, or Xemnas finds his own heart when he uses his Keyblades to create another Kingdom Hearts."

"So when he finds his heart, Sora's will return to him, and he will have access to both Keyblades without the darkness overtaking him. We just have to begin to train and get at sword-fighting and long distance fighting." Roxas explained.

"But must we leave Sora laying in Hollow Bastion?" Kairi asked, her voice becoming choked as she saw pictures of Sora laying on the stone steps dying.

"I can not answer that, but I do know that he did not become a Heartless, miraculously." Roxas smiled, knowing it was some good news for them.

Xemnas and Saix went down to the last floor of the castle to meet up with the others. Xemnas kept seeing flashes of Sora's past, but almost instantly, they were cut and torn away by the darkness in Xemnas and Sora's heart. Soon enough Sora's heart would no longer have any memories of Sora, it would be like it had been crushed, shattered.

Blinking, Xemnas's eyes pierced through his Organization's members. He approached Larxene, Vexen, Lexacus, and Marluxia. His voice was cold as he spoke to them, "Are you my allies, or are you my foes?" he growled. In Castle Oblivion, they had betrayed him, and now they would pay for it.

"We are you allies," Marluxia was the first to speak up, dipping his head.

"Are you now?" Xemnas's voice was dark with calm rage, "Then why did you betray my Organization? For power?"

"We weren't-" Vexen began, but was cut off.

"Silence!" Xemnas roared, his anger flaring to it's limits. "I don't want excuses, you wanted to control my Organization, but you failed, and now we are about to destroy this world for my use. Can I trust you with this task, or do I need to force you to work for me?" Xemnas snarled.

All four of them withdrew from Xemnas's wrath while the others who had done nothing wrong, and were onlookers, showed signs of nervousness. Saix was the only one who hadn't betrayed anything. He looked calm and ready for a fight.

"Y-You can trust us," Larxene spoke up, but it wasn't loud.

Xemnas's eyes bored into them and then he nodded and gave a gruff reply, "I'd better be able too, or else you'll pay when I get my hands on you."

Xemnas spun around to the others and said, "Everyone of you should know my plan. And remember, the first place we destroy will be the Marketplace so we can draw the fools out of that wizard's house. Once they are separated, kill them."

"What about Riku and Kairi? They are not here." Saix asked.

Xemnas turned to look at Saix and said, "I will take care of them myself."

Riku blinked as Roxas gave him this news and was relieved, but a quick glance around the hangout made him ask, "Where's Hayner?"

Olette and Pence looked at him replied, "We don't know, we haven't seen him all day."

"Then we'd better go find him." Riku said, forcing himself to stand up.

"You're not going anywhere." Kairi told him, pushing him back down. She scowled at him and said, "You're hurt and can barley, stand, you're going to stay here and we'll go look for Hayner, besides, he might decide to come here."

"Yeah in one chance in a million, I'm coming!" Riku growled.

"Riku, stay here, it is possible he'll come here because this is his hangout." Roxas pointed out.

Riku sighed, "Fine, but be back before nightfall if you haven't found him by then."

They nodded and left Riku sitting in a chair that Pence sat in. Riku relaxed and grew rather bored. Seconds had passes, but it seemed like eternity. His friends voices could still be heard, but Riku felt utterly alone. He didn't like being alone, because when he was alone, he always felt the darkness tug at him, call him.

"But this time I have more important things to worry about…" Riku told himself aloud, pulling himself forcefully to his feet. "No injury is going to stop me!"

"That's the spirit!" A cheerful voice floated from outside the Usual Spot.

Riku looked towards the red curtain, "Huh?" He limped towards it, careful to use the wall for support. He pulled back the curtain to see a flash of yellow-white light outside. "Who's there?" he called out.

The flash of yellow light faded away to reveal a tall figure standing in front of Riku with a smile on his face. Riku recognized the figure's dark brown hair and his dark blue eyes. He also knew the sword in his hand very well. "Sora!" Riku exclaimed with shock.

He forced himself towards his friend, "How did you-" suddenly his voice was cut short. His surprised turned to horror. Before his eyes, flashed the image of Xemnas, not Sora.

"Not quite." Sora's voice changed to a deeper, rougher sound. His appearance changed with a flash and Xemnas appeared.

"Xemnas!' Riku gasped, stumbling backwards, only to trip and fall down. Xemnas came closer to him and Riku tried to stand up, but it was useless. His injuries wouldn't allow it. Xemnas laughed as the Kingdom Key vanished and was replaced by the Destructor.

"Now, Riku, you will die!" Xemnas laughed as he raised he Keyblade, ready to hit Riku in the side of the head so he could break his neck, when Riku heard someone calling him from a far off distance.

"Riku! Riku! Wake up!" Riku's eyes popped open and he saw a blurry figure in front of him, and immediately assumed it was Xemnas. He shoved the person away and jumped to his feet, only to find himself hunched over, clutching his stomach in pain.

"Uhhhh…" he groaned, fallings backwards and into the chair. His eyes opened and he looked up to see Kairi brushing herself off.

"Hey! Riku, why'd you do that?" Kairi demanded with fake anger.

Riku looked at her helplessly as he replied, "I-I though you were-" Kairi cut himself, "Yeah, I know, Riku, it's alright, just a dream." Kairi promised.

"But it seemed so real…" Riku breathed, leaning back.

Xemnas eyed every single one of his members, seeing only two missing, but they were both traitors. "Kill anyone you see, call upon Nobodies for help if needed, but _keep the Recreation Committee apart_!" he ordered and then vanished, letting his Organization XIII handle Hollow Bastion.


	16. A Hard Descision

Chapter Sixteen: A Hard Decision

Xemnas eyed every single one of his members, seeing only two missing, but they were both traitors. "Kill anyone you see, call upon Nobodies for help if needed, but keep the Recreation Committee apart!" he ordered and then vanished, letting his Organization XIII handle Hollow Bastion.

Riku blinked and looked around, but he didn't see Hayner anywhere. He looked up and saw that it was just getting dark. "You haven't found him yet?"

"Yeah, he's out in the woods practicing. He won't come out of them." Olette explained. "I think he's going to try and fight Seifer."

"That'll be one hell of a lesson for Seifer." Riku smiled and then yawned. "Despite how long I've been sleeping, I'm tired!"

"Yeah, we are too. You guys want to go to one of our houses and sleep over there?" Olette offered.

Kairi was about to except the invitation when Riku says stubbornly, "I'll stay here thanks. It's comfortable." He added, seeing Kairi's glare.

"Okay, what about you Kairi?" Olette asked.

"Yeah, I'll come, I don't like sleeping outside, besides, it get cold." Kairi pointed out, trying to make Riku change his mind, but it didn't work.

Riku stayed where he was and rested his head on the back of the chair, staring up at the stars. He didn't watch the others leave, nor did he say good-bye. His mind was else where. _What happened to me? What has become of my friendship?_ He wondered thoughtfully, his eyes clouding over with a sad glaze. _Sora and I, we used to be the best of friends, and then, after three whole years, things just vanished. It was like I was still the enemy, and that is how I feel in my heart…like an enemy. _

_I even treat Kairi different. With Sora gone, I now realize what a jerk I acted like, though I always tried to cover it up, why? Why did I toss everything I loved away for power? I'm no better than Xemnas for that…_Riku's lips twisted into a sad and regretful frown. Now that he was alone again, everything flooded in on him. He had nothing to do to spend his time with.

"Am I fading back into the darkness? Like I wanted to?" Riku wondered aloud. He had spoken to Sora about them just fading into darkness, but be able to control it, to be on the other side. Sora had seemed like it would be a whole new eventful adventure, and so it has been. Sora went into darkness, but was taken, snatched, forcefully and now he was gone until they got his heart back from Xemnas.

"Anyone in here?" came a familiar voice.

Riku looked down from the sky, alert as he quietly picked up his Dark Keyblade, his Soul Eater, and peered at curtain. It opened a little just enough to reveal a very short person. Riku smiled and said, "Is that you, Your Majesty?" he asked, certain it was Mickey.

"Oh! Riku, I thought this place was deserted. Are you here alone?" Mickey asked.

Riku nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty." Riku dropped his Soul Eater and forced himself to his feet and tried to stand there, but he could not move otherwise.

"Okay, well come on out here, I have someone who wishes to speak with you." Mickey said. "And how many times to I have to tell you that you don't have to call me 'Your Majesty'?" Mickey ordered, gesturing Riku forward.

"Uh…We have a slight problem with that." Riku said, wobbling where he stood. He shifted his weight, but it didn't help much.

"Why?" Mickey asked. Clearly Mickey couldn't see through the darkness that Riku was beat up from Xemnas and Sora.

"I kind of can't-" Riku cut off as he finally lost balance all together and fell back into the chair. He flinched as the slashes on his back brushed against the hard fabric. "-stand." Riku finished through clinched teeth. He then looked back up and Mickey with a loud sigh.

Mickey rushed forward and then quickly took a look around, "You sure no one's nearby?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah, why so secretive?" Riku asked as Mickey came up to stand in front of him.

"You'll find out. Now what happen to ya'?"

"Xemnas, and Sora…" Riku replied, his voice failing. He didn't like to think about it. Friend or foe, Sora was both and Riku knew how Sora had felt when Riku had betrayed him, but Sora was gone which made it all the more painful to think about.

Suddenly the curtain was pulled back to reveal two hooded figure coming in. Riku tensed, but he made to aggressive moves as they came up to Mickey and him. Instead he leaned back in the chair and yawned again, but looked at neither the king, nor the two men standing in front of him, instead he looked back up at the stars. At last, he found his voice and finished, "Xemnas caught me off-guard when I saw…it happen…and attacked me with a clone of himself. I'm glad he wasn't using the two Keyblades, only the two light sabers. Sora, he probably did the most damage…he attacked me with the Destructor and nearly killed me. If Kairi hadn't come, I would be dead."

"Two Keyblades?" Mickey asked, surprised. "Which ones?"

"The Kingdom Key and the Destructor." Riku responded, still staring up at the stars. _If this all began before it started, then had Sora been in the right mind from the beginning? He's been against me for three weeks now, maybe four. Does that mean that I failed to see what was happening to my friend? Am I the reason he's dead? _"Am I the reason?…" he whispered aloud quietly.

"Riku?" Mickey asked uncertainly.

Riku blinked, his glassy eyes becoming clear once again as his stream of thoughts were broken. "What?" he asked, looking down with his ocean blue eyes full of sadness and confusion.

"Axel and Scalvatrx want to speak with you." Mickey said, turning to the two men in hoods. They removed their hoods and stepped forward.

"About what?" Riku asked dully, looking back up at the stars.

"We want to talk to you about your dark powers, Kairi, and how we can help Sora. But Riku, if you're not listening to us, then you'll never be able to save Sora." Scalvatrx explained gravely.

"I don't want to talk about that right now." Riku told them angrily, not looking at anyone, instead he shut his eyes, and for once, welcomed the darkness that greeted him.

"If you don't speak to us now, you may never see any of your friends in Hollow Bastion again. Riku, there's a war going on in that world right now!" Axel explained, spreading his hands wide as he tried to get Riku's attention, but Riku didn't even acknowledge their existence.

_I needed it last time, but do I need it now? I have to save my friends, but I have to save Sora too. And if I am to do both, I will have to have it. I will except it once more. I will not walk in the twilight between darkness and light anymore! I will except the darkness so I can save them once more, but I will not like it. I will have to leave Kairi again._ Riku thought sorrowfully, but his mind was made up. He took a deep breath and just sat there, consumed in the darkness within himself.

Riku forgot about the others around him as he took out the sash that he had kept in one of his pockets for so many years. He lifted it to his head with his eyes opened and put it around his eyes so he could see nothing but the darkness.

Mickey was the first to realize what Riku was doing. "Are you sure this is what you want?" Mickey asked him.

Riku, after he was relaxed once more, looked down at where Mickey was, "I will help them at any cost like I did last time. I owe everyone that still."

"But Riku, you don't have to do that, we can still help them." Mickey said.

Axel and Scalvatrx stood by. Scalvatrx wore a bored look on his face, but there was knowledge in his eyes. He knew what was going to happen, it had happened before and it was going to happen again. What friendship and loyalty Riku felt towards friends that he had once tossed away and threw them from his life. Scalvatrx wished he knew what it felt like to have real friends. Axel, Axel thought that he was Scalvatrx's friend, but Scalvatrx believed that Axel was nothing more than a pest.

Axel was always trying to get him to remember about some Arkath that Axel believes exists in him. What a pain!

"I told you, my mind is made up. In this form, I'll be stronger, and I can walk, I can fight in this form." Riku said as his features began to change. His hair grew longer and his skin turned a darker color. He grew taller and stronger. The blindfold he had worn was gone and replaced with cold eyes.

Riku stood up, in perfect form of Ansem. "I'm Ansem now, Mickey." Riku said, his voice had changed too, it sounded like Ansem's.

Kairi had changed into some of Olette's clothes after she had taken a quick shower. Now she was catching Olette up on everything that had happened to her when she had been captured. She had even managed to tell Olette about Sora, but Kairi could feel the tears coming from her eyes.

"I'm scared he'll never come back." Kairi said.

"I'm sure he will. You and Riku will find a way. You have in the past, you've found one another and you've defeated Xemnas before, who's to say you can't do it again?" Olette spoke with confidence, but also comfort.

"Yeah, you're right we can beat him." Kairi's voice became stronger as she looked up from where she was sitting on Olette's bed and out the window. Her eyes scanned the dark blue sky that was full of twinkling stars. Somewhere out there, Xemnas was waiting. "I wonder if Riku's alright…"

"I'm sure he's fine, he looked fine when we left, I mean besides his injuries." Olette said.

"Yeah, but you don't know Riku very well. Something was troubling him, it was written all over his face. Do you think he'll get cold?" Kairi asked.

"Maybe, depends on how low the temperature drops. You want to go give him a blanket or something?" Olette asked Kairi, understanding that she should feel more worried for Riku from all the stress on her at the moment.

"Yeah, but I might want to go see if he wants it. He's rude at times." Kairi said, standing up and wiping the tears away. She opened Olette's door and headed towards the door. Opening it, she stepped into the chilly night air and headed for the back alley.

"If this is what you want, I can't try to stop you from doing anything." Mickey sighed.

Riku nodded and then formed a dark portal. "Be right back." He promised them and waved as he stepped into it.

"Hey! Where are you going? Riku!" Mickey demanded, but the dark portal closed as soon as Riku vanished into it.

Riku came back within seconds with a black cloak in one of his hands, "I told you to call me Ansem now." Riku told Mickey, but there wasn't anger in his voice.

Riku put on the black cloak that resembled the Organization XIII's cloaks and turned to the others. "I'm going to leave when dawn breaks, I don't want Kairi to know I'm leaving. She's not going to be put into danger anymore." Riku swore to them as he went back to the chair to sit down, but kept standing.

"Can we talk now?" Scalvatrx asked, sighing with irritation.

"Never stopped you, did I?" Riku asked bluntly.

"Okay, well guess we should just skip a lot since you seem overly confident and get to where you have to have Kairi for all of this since you seem so content on keeping her safe." Scalvatrx's voice held the irritation and annoyance that was in him at the moment. "You have to have Kairi for one reason only: So Sora's heart can return to Sora and Sora only."

Riku looked up at this.

"If you don't have Kairi, his heart could either do two things: 1. Vanish, 2.Go into another Organization XIII member. You can leave Kairi here, but all I am saying is that when the time comes to fight Xemnas, get Kairi." Scalvatrx explained.

"And now we can help Sora by doings two things and only two: 1. Get him out of Hollow Bastion. 2. Go get his heart back. They aren't much, but the reason why you want him out of Hollow Bastion his because Xemnas is sure to destroy Sora's body so that Sora's heart can never return to him."

Outside the Usual Spot, Goofy and Donald were listening in on the conversation and slowly, they crept inside and leaned against the wall so they wouldn't be seen by any of them. In that split of a second, Donald noticed that Riku's eyes were staring in their direction.

Donald knew Riku could see them and held up one feather to his beak signaling that Riku should keep quiet. Riku gave them an irritated look but then returned to the conversation.

"By dawn, you needed to leave anyway in any hopes of helping out with the battle in Hollow Bastion, but now, Riku, you are going to rest." Scalvatrx finished.

"It's Ansem, Arkath." Riku growled. Scalvatrx shot him a glare, but it faded and turned into a simple, unreadable nod.

"Fine, Ansem." Scalvatrx said with a neutral voice.


	17. A Relentless War

Chapter Seventeen: A Relentless War

"_It's Ansem, Arkath." Riku growled. Scalvatrx shot him a glare, but it faded and turned into a simple, unreadable nod._

"_Fine, Ansem." Scalvatrx said with a neutral voice._

Riku sat down as Scalvatrx, Mickey, and Axel left, "I'll come back at dawn, Ansem, I promise." Mickey said before vanishing into the dark portal Axel had made. Riku nodded and then settled down, his elbow resting on the chair's arm with his chin resting in his palm.

Riku could sense the power in his heart and the darkness, but no amount of light or darkness could cover up the regret and shame he felt inside of him. He was wondering if he had chosen the right thing. There was no going back to being Riku, or from what he knew. He would always be Ansem now, and when he went back, what would all of his old friends think? They wouldn't know Riku was in there, they would only see him for who he was on the outside…

"Riku? Are you awake?" Kairi's voice came through the entrance to the Usual Spot.

Riku bolted up, he hadn't expected Kairi to come back. What was he supposed to do now? Mickey was coming for him in the morning, so there wasn't any way he could leave. "Um…uh…yeah," Riku knew no other way to respond.

"Do you need a blanket?"

"Umm…no, there was one out here." Riku lied.

"You sound funny…are you alright?" Kairi asked through the darkness.

"I'm fine, I just want to be left alone for awhile, okay?" Riku told her, his voice etched with worry.

"Oh…Okay, well, see ya in the morning." Kairi said before vanishing behind the curtain.

Riku sighed, that was a close one, too close. Maybe he shouldn't have stayed here after all…Slowly, his cold eyes closed and his mind drifted off into a deep, yet uneasy sleep.

"Riku…"A voice sounded through the surrounding darkness.

"_Who's there?" Riku called, turning this-way and that way trying to discover who was talking._

"_Why did you open the door, Riku? Why?" The voice sounded familiar to Riku, so familiar. Then it came to Riku out of the blue-well blackness._

"_Sora?" Riku breathed. An image of Sora appeared. Sora's eyes held a certain sadness, but they also held a light Riku had never seen before in his friend's eyes. Riku reached out for Sora, but found he could not move. Then he looked down at himself and found that he was not Riku anymore, but Ansem. "Is that really you?"_

"_Riku, you must tell Kairi. You know that if you don't she'll go looking for you, and Xemnas will find her. He wants both of you, but mainly you. Riku, you must use all of your power to kill Xemnas, I'm afraid he is stronger than you think." Sora said._

_Riku nodded and then asked, "Are you for real, Sora?" He wished with all of his heart that he go up to Sora, but he was prevented that. And ever so slowly, Sora began to fade without an answer. "Sora! Sora! Wait!" Riku called, holding out his gloved hand, but Sora faded into nothing._

"_I'm alone again…I'm alone with the darkness…and all because I opened the door…" Riku whispered to himself as he, too, began to fade away._

"Huh? What? What's happening to me?" he asked himself as he became nothing.

Riku awoke to find the chilly morning air slicing at his skin. He shivered under the cloak and looked around him and then at his hand. They were gloved like they were in his dream and he was still Ansem, or at least he looked like him.

"Why did I let this happen to me?" Riku asked himself. He looked up at the sky to find it streaked with orange and pink clouds as the sun rose.

All at once Riku jumped out of his chair in shock. Mickey hadn't come when he was supposed to, were they all OK? Riku looked around him for his Soul Eater and found it. He made it vanish and replaced it with his Way to Dawn. Before Riku could move, he heard voices outside.

He quickly pulled up his hood and extended his hand, forming a portal. He was about to step into it, when Kairi called, "Riku? Are you awake?"

Riku stopped, the dark portal vanishing. Sora's word came back to him._ Riku, you must tell Kairi. You know that if you don't she'll go looking for you, and Xemnas will find her._

Riku turned to the curtain and waited for them, standing there with his hood up so they wouldn't see him. Kairi and Olette were the first to come in. They didn't even have time to see if Riku was in there when a dark portal opened and out stepped a familiar enemy. "There you are." The man was hooded and he wielded the Destructor in his hand.

All at once, Riku felt a pain go through his whole body as the Destructor came out towards him and slamming into his head. He was flung to the ground by the impact. Xemnas was going to kill him quickly, if it was possible. Riku's hood was thrown back from his face to reveal Ansem's face.

"Riku!" Kairi yelled as she saw the Destructor and Ansem on the ground.

Riku groaned as he looked up from where he was, but his eyes grew colder than they already were and he Way to Dawn under Xemnas's feet, tripping him, but Xemnas didn't fall. Riku earned himself a kick as he tried to pick himself up. "Kairi…go away." Riku ordered, looking up at her with anger, but there was masked fear in his eyes.

"You care too much for your friends now Riku. You used to hate every single one of them. Pathedic!" Xemnas growled, raising the Oblivion above his head. "You'd lived sorrowfully and you'll die sorrowfully." Xemnaa growled, bringing the sword down on Riku head.

Riku groaned, a flash of red flashing through his eyes. He dropped to the ground, gasping for breath. _Was everything I did in vain? Did I really try to help Sora or distance myself from him? But now it's all over…the shame…the pain…_ Riku's voice faded in his head as his eyes grew blank and closed. A pool of blood formed around his lifeless form from the gash on his head.

"Riku!" Kairi cried, stepping towards him, but Olette yanked her back and whispered, "Kairi, there's nothing you can do, come on, let's go."

Kairi pulled away from Olette and shook her head. "If Riku, dies, I die!" she said confidantly.

"But what about Sora?" Olette asked Kairi.

"Sora…I can not help him now. I was his friend, but Riku is gone, no one can help me, Sora's dead, Olette." Kairi yelled at her friend and turned to face Xemnas. Her eyes were full of tears as she yelled, "You killed him unfairly! Now you'll pay because you killed both of my friends!"

"Silly girl, you can die with them." Xemnas growled.

Kairi glared at Xemnas her flower Keyblade appearing in her hand. "Kairi, stop this! Don't kill yourself Kairi!" Sora's voice filled Kairi's ears as Xemnas's body faded and was replaced by Sora's. "If you die Kairi, there's no hope for this world, Riku, and all of our friends. Kairi, I can't live without you!"

Kairi's eyes widened as she saw Sora. "B-But how do I get out of here?" she asked, unable to make a comment on Sora's last remark. She had never guessed he would say anything like that.

"Like this," Sora lifted one of his hands a dark portal appeared. "Go Kairi! Go to Leon, he'll keep you safe for me!" Kairi nodded and stepped through it.

Meanwhile Sora had forced Xemnas to go through a portal to Hollow Bastion until he took control again.

Riku felt the coolness of the ground. He knew that he was alive, though he didn't know how. With a painful stretch, he lifted his hand and touched the spot where Xemnas had hit him, the wound had vanished.

Riku groaned as his eyes opened, but just slits. He had to help Kairi and Sora, but how? He tried to pick himself up and realized that all he saw was darkness. Riku reached up to his face and felt the sash. He was back. Placing his hands on the ground, he picked himself up with much determination, but it took a lot out of him.

The moonlight spilled down on him, his silver hair flowing in the wind. He looked up into the sky and said, "I'm coming,"

_(by Linkin Park)_

_I don't know who to trust_

_No surprise_

_Everyone feels so far away from me_

_Happy thoughts slip through dust and the lies_

_Tryin' not to break but I'm so tired of this to see every time I try to make myself get back up on my feet,_

Riku summoned a dark portal and stepped through it, heading for Hollow Bastion.

_All I ever think about is this _

_All the tiring time between,_

_And trying to prove my trust towards you just takes so much out of me_

_I take everything from the inside and throw it all away_

_Cause I swear for the last time I will trust myself with you_

_Tension is building inside steadily,_

_Everyone feels so far away from me_

Riku landed on the dust on the ruined town and looked around. Xemnas was standing in front of him smirking. He did not have the Kingdom Key or Oblivion in his hand, but a long sword. "Xemnas, you die here!"

_Happy thoughts forcing their way out of me_

_Trying not to break but I'm so tired of this to see I try to make myself get back up on my feet_

_All I ever think about is this _

_All the tiring time between,_

Xemnas pointed his sword at Riku, but all at once, Xemnas kneeled over, gasping for breath and suddenly his image changed. Sora stood in front of Riku, a determined look on his face. "Riku! Go, go find Kairi, I'll take care of him!" Sora ordered, Xemnas's form flashing like an image.

"Sora! You have to return to your body, you can't fight Xemnas like that without killing yourself!" Riku shouted.

_And trying to prove my trust towards you just takes so much out of me_

_Take everything from the inside and throw it all away _

_Cause I swear for the last time I will trust myself with you_

_I won't waste myself on you, you, you waste myself on you, you, you_

_I'll take everything from the inside and throw it all away _

_Cause I swear for the last time I will trust myself with you_

Sora nodded and vanished with a flash. Riku quickly scampered away as a figure rushed past him with a sword drawn. The sword was flat and long, covered with bandages. It was Cloud.

Cloud rammed his sword into a hooded enemy. "I'm through with you bugging the hell out of me!" Cloud snarled.

The man staggered back, gasping and clenching his stomach as he fell to the dust. His hood fell to reveal Scalvatrx's face. Scalvatrx was staring at the gap in him until a scream rose from him and his hair slowly grew darker. It turned a black color, his cold blue eyes became kinder and his fearsome features changed.

"Arkath!" Axel yelled, staring at his friend. "You're back!"

Arkath looked up at Axel and nodded, his long sword vanishing only to be replaced by the Kingdom Key. "Cure!" He raised it above him and allowed it to heal him.

_I'll take everything from the inside and just throw it all away_

_Cause I swear for the last time I will trust myself with you, you, you _

Riku turned away, confused, but this was not his part of the story. He walked through the dust as Xemnas came back and yelled "It's not over!"

Riku ran on, racing to where Leon and Kairi were fighting off Nobodies. As he reached them, he felt a sharp pain sear through his already damaged body. He turned to see Saix, Xigbar, Xaldin, Demyx, and Larexen standing there, ready to kill him.

"Five against one? How is that fair?" Riku cried.

"Then we'll double the number!" Leon yelled as Yuffie, Kairi, and Tifa joined him.

Riku heard fast approaching footsteps behind him and spun around to see a hooded figure coming towards them, an Oblivion and Oathkeeper in his hands, he drug them along the ground until he got close. The Roxas leapt into the air, swinging his Keyblades and brought them down on Saix and Xaldin. "You have to fight me now!" he snarled.

"Why did you betray us, Roxas?" Saix asked, regaining his balance from Roxas's attack.

"That is not the question, Saix. The question is, is why do you want to harm my friends!" Roxas snarled, bashing Xaldin in the head and narrowly missing Saix.

"Friends! Ha, that's rich, how can a Nobody have feelings enough to call someone a friend when they have no heart?" Saix laughed, swinging his hammer/sword thing.

Riku watched and then remembered. He faced Demyx, "This should be easy!"

Meanwhile Roxas yelled, "I'm different from you! I have a heart!" Roxas yelled. As the words escaped his lips, a bright white light erupted around him. When it vanished, Sora was wielding the Oblivion and Oathkeeper, an angry look on his face.

"What!" Saix gasped. Xaldin picked himself up, rubbing his head and then saw Sora. His eyes grew wide and he summoned his spears around him. Quick as lightning, he flung them at Sora, but Sora easily dodge and turned into Final Form. With his two Keyblades, he quickly killed Xaldin and Saix.

Sora turned to the others and growled, "Your turn!"

Riku and Kairi were shocked to see Sora standing there, his face etched with rage. Leon and Yuffie were watching now and Tifa stood nearby, her eyes looking elsewhere. Riku noticed this and looked to where she was looking. He saw Cloud, he was now fighting Xemnas and other Nobodies along side Arkath and Axel.

Riku blinked and looked at Sora, "You'd better go help him, this is your battle."

Sora turned around and shook his head, "No Riku, it's not my battle, it's ours."

Riku's eyes widened and then he nodded. Now he could take his revenge on Xemnas. He lifted his Way to Dawn over his shoulder and rushed towards Xemnas. Sora followed at equal speed. They clashed into Xemnas with a powerful force, slamming their enemy into a nearby building. Cloud turned to glance at them, but he quickly left into the crowd of Nobodies.

Cloud slashed out at the Nobodies with great force. He slammed them, stabbed them, and slung them. Leaping through the air, he landed, crouched with one hand holding as support. He took a quick glance around him before dashing towards his motorcycle thing. (Anyone ever watched Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children? Yeah, he has that motorcycle thing, I think it's cool and so it earned a right into here-along with his sunglasses! LOL) He put on his sunglasses and opened the weapon thing.

NOTE: No, I have never played the games before, and I have only seen Final Fantasy VII and that was only a few moments ago because it's still in my PSP, anyway, back to the story! Ookkaayy so I played five minutes of Final Fantasy X!)

He withdrew another blade and put the used one in. This one was sharper. Starting the motorcycle, he rammed through the Nobodies, slicing right through them. His blue eyes were cold as he headed towards the rest of the Organization XIII members. Now that he had taken care of Scalvatrx, it was time to get rid of another problem!

His blade cut right through Vexen and the Nobody vanished on spot. Cloud smirked, this was way too easy!

Riku rushed back into the battle as Xemnas used one of his shields. Sora was all over Xemnas, hitting him in the stomach, back, and head. Riku could tell that Xemnas could feel the pain, and he was about to feel more! Riku raised the Way to Dawn over his head with one hand and in the other, his Soul Eater rested. Both smashed into Xemnas at great speed. Xemnas gasped as Sora combined his power to the attack.

"Given up yet?" Riku growled, jumping back.

"Not yet…" Xemnas said, but as he said this, he slowly began to vanish. Their task was over…for now.

Cloud noticed that Xemnas had fallen and one by one, the Nobodies were vanishing. He smiled slightly and reopened the weapon thing and shoved his blade into it and grabbed the other one out, sheathing it. He quickly turned the motorcycle, sliding it across the ground at a very sharp angle and headed towards Tifa who was still watching him while defending herself.

Suddenly Cloud stopped the motorcycle five-hundred yards from Tifa. His eyes caught sight of someone he thought he'd never see again. His eyes widened, "You…" Cloud breathed.

A dark figure on the coming horizon turned around with one wing spread out. A smile was planted on his face. Sephiroth drew his sword and said, "Surprised to see me?"

* * *

This concludes this book of Kingdom Hearts: The Darkness Within

Next book: Kingdom Hearts: A Shadowed Heart


	18. Note to my Readers

Note to my readers:

I have informed you that there is going to be a second book called **_Kingdom hearts: A Shadowed Heart_**. This book will not come out until i get a decent amount of reveiws, and right now I only have six. I want 15. I think you all may be rather curious as to what happens to Cloud when he goes up to Sephiroth and what becomes of Axel, Arakth, Riku, and Sora. In the second book, I will be switching from Cloud, to Riku, to Sora, to Sephiroth, to Axel, to Kairi, to Arkath, etc. And I can give an excrapt of it to see if you'll like any of it for down here. But you will NOT recive ANY OF It until I RECIEVE 15 REVIEWS! Sorry guys.

Excrept:

Cloud stared across the battle field. His eyes were narrowed with anger as he saw Sephiroth, his long-time enemy had returned. He started his motorcycle up again and raced off towards Sephiroth, forgetting about Tifa and the others who were waiting just yards away. He didn't even glance to where Sora, Riku, and Axel stood along with Arkath. Cloud knew he had to finish the fight before he began to search all over again for Sephiroth, his evil dark side.

Meanwhile Riku was looking at Sephiroth for a split of a second before turning to Sora and sighing, "Maybe our part isn't over after all. This may be Cloud's battle, but who's to say that Sephiroth won't stir up trouble?"

Sora nodded and looked at Riku, "I'm just glad to be back."

"Sooo...What did it feel like dying?" Riku asked.

"Painful." was Sora's smart reply making Riku laugh slightly.

Riku heard footsteps coming their way and turned to see Kairi coming up to them, a look of pure joy on her face. She raced up to Sora and threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, "I'm so glad you're alright!" she said happily. After hugging Sora, she turned to Riku and gave him a hug, "I thought you were dead, too."

"So did I, but appearantly not. Or maybe...I really was but never knew it." Riku added after a short pause as Kairi released him.

Kairi nodded, not going deeper into the subject. Instead she turned to Axel and said, "Thank you, Axel."

Axel blinked and turned to look at Kairi, asking, "For what?"

"For helping us out." Kairi said, smilng,

"You're welcome I guess." Was Axel's reply before turning to Arkath. He was about to speak when something caught his eye. Blinking, Axel turned swiftly around, only to see the shadow of something vanishing.


	19. NOTICE

ANOTHER NOTICE:

In case you have not yet read the new chapters of A Shadowed Heart, I have posted two more up and I will continue posting now that i have compltely recovered the document (it was corrupted), and I have less things to do in my spare time. This will be as long, if not longer, as the Darkest Hour.

I realize that barley any people have read A Shadowed Heart, and was just wondering if you had not realized it was up yet, while so many had viewed the Darkness Within. Well, I hope this tells you a little something.

Chapters-I believe-9-11 reveal the main plot. We have chapters 1-10 up.

RIKU54-VINCENT'S DEMON


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